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1/ 

THE 


BAPTISM  OF  CHRIST 


GOSPEL  ORDINANCE: 


BEING  ALTOGETHER 


INWARD  AND  SPIRITUAL 


BY  JOB  SCOTT. 


Baltimore; 

PUBLISHED    BY    JOSEPH    JAMES, 
'  18107 


PREFACE. 


THIS  little  treatise,  reader,  is  written  chief- 
ly for  the  help  and  information  of  such  as  are 
in  a  state  of  honest  enquiry,  and  who  have  not 
vet  seen  clearly  beyond  some  of  those  former 
observances,  which  at  the  very  best  were  but 
preparatory,  and  pointing  to  him,  and  his  work 
on  the  sou!,  in  whom  they  all  end,  and  are  done 
away  forever;  but  partly  for  the  confirmation 
and  establishment  of  such  as  have  been  already 
convinced  of  the  unshadowy  dispensation  of  the 
gospel. 

I  have  long  seen  with  sorrow,  that  many  sin- 
cere souls  are  much  detained  from  the  substance, 
by  undue  attachments  to  the  sign,  I  have  once 
known  and  groaned  under  this  bondage  and  en- 
tanglement myself;  for  though  I  was  never  a 
partaker  in  any  of  those  outward  ordinances,  yet 
I  was  divers  years  blinded  in  my  understanding, 
through  the  vail  that  was  over  me.  In  reading 
the  accounts  of  baptism  in  the  New  Testament, 
I  could  not  understand  why  the  Apostles  used 
watery  especially  after  Christ's  resurrection,  if  it 
was  not  Christ's  baptism-,  nor  how  men  could 
possibly  baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  there 


iv  PREFACE. 

fore  finding  men  commanded  to  baptize,  and  that 
they  did  baptize  with  water,  I  concluded,  very 
ignorantly,  that  water  was  commanded  by  Christ. 
— This  conclusion,  I  have  since  seen,  was  the 
natural  result  of  inexperience,  in  an  anxious  in- 
vestigation of  things  not  known  by  mere  human 
wisdom,  or  creaturely  abilities,  but  only  spirit- 
ually discerned  ;  and  as  my  mind  was  sincerely 
engaged  to  see  for  myself,  and  avoid  all  decep- 
tion, it  pleased  him  who  has  the  key  of  David, 
(after  I  had  passed  several  years  of  doubt  and 
hesitation,  some  times  concluding  I  should,  before 
long,  be  baplized  in  water,  and  then  struck  with 
an  inward  and  feeling  conviction  of  its  utter  in- 
sufficiency towards  effecting  the  renovation  and 
cleansing  which  my  soul  at  times  longed  for)  to 
open  my  understanding,  chiefly  by  his  own  inter- 
nal operations  and  illuminations  in  my  enquiring 
mind,  without  much  of  any  instrumental  means, 
either  reading  or  hearing ;  so  that  I  saw  clearly, 
(which  I  had  too  long  been  very  dull  in  believ- 
ing, and  fearful  in  receiving)  that  Christ  himself 
in  spirit  had  long  time  been  striving  with  me,  mov- 
ing in  me,  wooing,  calling,  knocking,  checking, 
restraining,  constraining,  and  powerfully  impress- 
ing my  mind;  but  I  knew  him  not,  and  in  that 
inward  and  immediate  way  sought  not  after  him. 
When,  alas !  had  I  but  known  the  gift  of  God, 
and  who  it  was  that  inwardly  talked  with  me,  I 
might  have  asked  of  him,  and  received  the  living 
water  of  his  heavenly  kingdom ;  as  afterwards  I 
did,  to  the  full  satisfaction  of  my  thirsty  soul. 
And  when  this  became  my  joyful  experience, 
wherein  the  beloved  of  my  soul  met  with  me,  as 
with  many  others,  in  the  garden,  saying,  "  eat, 


PREFACE.  v 

O  friends— drink,  yea  drink  abundantly,  O  be- 
loved," Cant.  v.  i.     I  became  perfectly  satisfied 
that  outward    bread,  wine  and  water,  were  no 
part  of  the  baptism  or  supper  of  the  Lord,  nor  any 
way  necessary  to  his  anointed,  in   things   per- 
taining to  salvation. — It  was  not  very  long  after 
this,  before  I  not  only   believed,  but  knew,  by 
most  consolatory  experience,  that  men,  even  in 
our   day,    though   helpless  of  themselves,    are 
through  divine  assistance  enabled  instrumental^, 
in  a  very  powerful  and  heart-watering  manner, 
to  baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost.   For  being  now 
engaged  to  feel  after  God,  if  happily  I  might 
from  time  to  time  renewedly  find   him,  he  was 
not  only  pleased  in  these  my  silent  approaches, 
in  religious  meetings,  and  more  retired  waitings, 
to  arise  in  me  immediately,  with  the  brightness 
of  a  morning  without  clouds,  and  powerfully  to 
manifest  himself  to  me  and  in  me,  as  a  fountain 
of  living  waters;  but  was  also  graciously  pleas- 
ed to  send  among   us,  of  his  servants,  such  as 
were  well  qualified  to  do  the  work  of  evangelists, 
and  who  being  largely  acquainted  with  the  soul- 
saving  baptism  of  Christ  in  themselves,  were  so 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  spake  so  demon- 
stratively, in  the  life,  evidence  and  divine  virtue 
and  vigour  of  it,  that  it  was  like  the  oil  poured 
on  Aaron's  head,  which  ran  down  to  the  very 
skirts  of  his  garment— it  even  reached,  overflow- 
ed and  filled  my  poor  soul. 

Much  I  could  write  respecting  these  blessed 

days  of  my  espousals,  but  enlargement  here  may 

be  improper ;  I  shall  therefore  just  say,  that  had  I 

not  felt  living  desires  that  others  may  come  to  a 

A  a 


vi  PREFACE. 

full  participation  of  the  same  blessed  experience, 
and  that  none  may  be  longer  unprofitably  amused 
and  detained,  by  lifeless  signs  and  symbols,  from 
the  all-sufficient  substance,  thou,  reader,  hadst 
never  heard  from  me  in  this  way. — I  know  many- 
find  their  interest  in  keeping  up  a  shew  in  these 
things,  and  representing  them  of  exceed ing'great 
importance. — I  have  no  doubt  many  very  sin- 
cerely urge  them  upon  their  friends  and  acquain- 
tance, as  believing  them  injunctions  of  the 
gospel ;  but  I  am  also  sadly  sensible  that  too  ma- 
ny "  seek  their  gain  from  their  quarter/'  and  ob» 
tain  it,  by  keeping  up  a  lifeless  round  of  prayers, 
preaching,  singing,  eating,  drinking,  dipping, 
sprinkling,  &c.  and  am  convinced  beyond  scru- 
ple, that  the  mammon  of  unrighteousness,  this 
way  increased,  is  a  powerful  obstruction  to  the 
coming  of  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord,  in  life  and 
power,  unclouded  and  uneclipsed  by  the  reten- 
tion of  vailing  and  darkening  observances.— Ba- 
bylon is  not  yet  so  fallen,  as  to  rise  no  more : 
she  is  still  lurking  in  a  mystery. — She  is  still 
mystery  Babylon  the  great,  and  still  the  mother 
of  many  harlots— thousands  are  ensnared  among 
some  or  other  of  her  daughters,  and  are  not  a- 
ware  of  her  cup. — May  the  Lord  graciously  pre- 
serve the  honest-hearted,  of  every  denomination, 
from  the  harmful  influences  of  all  her  many  and 
artful  sorceries,  and  keep  alive  their  hunger  and 
thirst  after  true  righteousness.— I  have  no  doubt 
but  that,  if  I  am  finally  so  happy  as  to  reign  in 
iife  by  Jesus  Christ,  my  only  hope  and  Saviour, 
1  shall  be  there  accompanied  by  thousands,  who 
have  through  their  whole  lives  lived  under  the 
vail,  as  to  outward  ordinances;  but  who,  having 


PREFACE.  vii 

in  great  sincerity,  done  what  they  believed  was 
their  duty,  in  singleness  as  unto  God,  and  not 
unto  men,  are,  and  finally  will  be,  well  accepted 
of  him,  who  seeth  not  as  man  seelh,  but  looks 
through  all  outside  things  to  the  heart.  And  yet, 
on  the  contrary,  I  do  firmly  believe  many,  who 
have  began  and  ran  well  for  a  season,  have  been 
by  degrees,  as  outward  things  have  become 
more  and  more  considerable  with  them,  drawn 
more  and  more  from  the  true  hunger,  and  been 
more  and  more  easy  and  satisfied  with  little  or 
nothing  of  the  true  bread,  water  and  wine,  of 
the  kingdom,  till  at  length  they  have  centered  in 
formality,  and  sat  down  in  a  rest  short  of  the  soul's 
salvation.— -That  thou  mayest  shun  this  danger- 
ous rock,  dear  reader,  and  be  preserved  living 
and  growing  in  the  holy  root  of  divine  life,  to  the 
end  of  thy  stay  here,  and  finally  admitted  to  the 
joys  of  the  blessed,  forever  to  adore  and  bless  the 
God  of  all  grace  and  true  consolation,  is  the 
prayer  of  thy  sincere  friend,  and  willing  servant 
in  the  labour  and  travail  of  the  gospel, 

THE  AUTHOR. 


THE 

BAPTISM  OF  CHRIST^k 

A 

GOSPEL  ORDINANCE : 

BEING  ALTOGETHER 

INWARD  AND  SPIRITUAL: 

Not,  like  John's,  into  Water ;  but,  according  to 
the  real  Nature  of  the  Gospel,  into  the  very 
Name,  Life  and  Power,  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Shewing  that  the  Apostles'  Use  of  Water  Bap- 
tism was  by  no  Means  as  an  ordinance  of 
Christ,  but  as  the  Baptism  of  John ;  and  that 
all  who  are  baptized  into  Christ,  have  put 
on  Christ,  not  only  professionally,  but  sub- 
stantially—that is,  have  put  him  on  as  the 
whole  Armour  of  Light,  and  walk  in  him  in 
Newness  of  Life. 


THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 


CHAPTER  I, 


Of  the  regular  order  and  succession  of  divine  dispensa- 
tions. Signs  and  figures  pointed  at  lite  and  substance. 
Hence  Christ  deferred  his  gospel  ministry,  till  John's 
course  in  a  baptism,  but  figurative  of  his  own,  was  ful- 
filled. John's  baptism  and  Christ's  are  type  and  anti- 
type. Christ  sent  his  disciples  to  baptize  with  his  own 
baptism.  So  breathes  on  them  the  Holy  Ghost.  Great 
wisdom  even  in  the  timing  our  Lord's  baptism  by  John, 
also  in  his  answer  to  John.  John  preached  the  king- 
dom but  at  hand.  In  its  nature  and  fulness,  it  is  after, 
not  before,  nor  joined  with  the  type.  John  prepared 
the  way.  Some  took  the  kingdom  by  force.  All  types 
end  in  the  antitype.  Christ's  baptism  cleanses  tho- 
roughly, as  John's  was  total  immersion.  A  picture, 
as  truly  a  man,  as  water  baptism  Christ's.  A  single 
eye  full  of  light,  and  then  the  shadow  is  behind  us. 
Christ  was  baptized  in  water,  not  to  continue,  but  ful- 
fil that  decreasing  sign  ;  and  so  to  make  way  for  the  in- 
creasing substance.  He  also  ate,  and  thus  fulfilled  the 
passover. 


IT  is  very  observable,  that  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  deferred  the  open  and  express  promul- 
gation of  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom  till  John  the 
Baptist,  his  immediate  forerunner,  had  fulfilled 
his  course;  and  that  not  before,  but  after  John 
had  finished  his  preparatory  ministration,  ceased 
the  voice  crying  in  the  wilderness,  prepare,  &c. 
quite  ended  his  own  decreasing  work  in  that  out- 
ward elementary  baptism,  which  as  a  sign  was 
to  precede  and  prepare  the  way  for  Christ's,  and 
•was  shut  up  in  prison;  he,  the  Lord  of  life  and 


A    GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  3 

glory,  the  end  and  ender  of  all  typical  dispensa- 
tions, immediately  entered  upon  the  publication 
of  the  gospel  word;  the  new,  the  encreasing  and 
ever  continuing  dispensation  of  life,  substance 
and  salvation.  For  we  read,  Mat.  iv.  12,  "  now 
when  Jesus  had  heard  that  John  was  cast  into 
prison,  he  departed  into  Galilee?  And,  verse 
17,  "  from  that  time  Jesus  began  to  preach,  and 
to  say,  repent ;  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at 
hand.'*  This  kingdom,  now  so  near  at  hand,  and 
which  John  had  just  before  proclaimed  to  be  so, 
was  and  is  inward  and  spiritual;  for  our  Lord 
himself  declares,  "  the  kingdom  of  God  iswithin 
you."  Luke  xvii.  21.  And  it  is  clear  that  he 
waited  for  John's  course  to  be  first  fulfilled,  be- 
fore he  ever  began  publicly  to  preach  it.  See  also 
Mark  i.  14,  15.  "  Now  after  that  John  was  put 
m  prison,  Jesus  came  into  Galilee,  preaching  the 
gospel  of  the  kingdom  of  God ;  and  saying,  the 
time  is  fulfilled \  and  the  kingdom  of  God  is  at 
hand ;  repent  ye,  and  believe  the  gospel."  The 
gospel  is  not  sign  or  figure,  but  life  and  sub- 
stance, the  "  power  of  God  to  salvation,"  free 
from  all  types  and  shadows,  being  the  last  and 
lasting  dispensation  ;  and  which  was  not  to  com- 
mence in  its  general  fulness,  till  after  all  others. 
Christ  is  often  spoken  of  as  coming  after  John  ; 
and  John,  as  going,  or  coming,  or  being  sent 
before  Christ;  and  therefore  as  John's  course  in 
the  very  last  of  the  shadows,  water  baptism,  was 
now  completed,  the  great  minister  of  the  sanc- 
tuary very  pertinently,  at  the  very  beginning  of 
his  own  gospel  preaching,  proclaimed,  the  time 
is  fulfilled,    1  know  not  what  words  he  could 


4  THE    BAPTISM    OF  CHRIST 

have  used  more  proper  and  significant  to  intro* 
duce  the  glorious  gospel,  and  teach  mankind  that 
all  signs  were  to  end  in  the  substance.  And 
from  a  sincere  wish  for  the  real  good  and  solid 
information  of  mankind,  I  desire  this  one  word, 
fulfilled,  in  this  and  divers  other  places,"  may  be 
specially  noticed,  and  deeply  considered.  It  is 
of  vast  importance, 

And  why  did  Jesus  wait  till  John's  course  was 
fulfilled  ?  why,  then,  immediately  on  hearing  of 
his  imprisonment,  did  he  begin  to  preach  the 
gospel  of  the  kingdom  as  then  just  at  hand  ?  and 
why  was  he  so  careful,  at  his  very  entrance  on 
this  great  work,  to  make  this  special  declaration, 
"  the  time  is  fulfilled  9"  There  is  deep  instruc- 
tion in  it  all.  He  knew  the  times  and  seasons, 
though  many  who  could  discern  the  face  of  the 
sky,  and  had  understanding  in  the  forebodings 
of  change  in  regard  to  the  weather,  were  and 
are  ignorant  of  the  signs  of  the  times;  and 
through  this  ignorance  many  did,  and  many 
still  do,  retain  the  shadow  out  of  all  proper  sea- 
son. But  Christ,  as  he  knew,  so  he  carefully  ob- 
served the  right  time.  He  would  have  all  things 
pertaining  to  his  kingdom,  especially  his  own  im- 
mediate transactions,  take  place  in  their  proper 
seasons.  He  would  not  hasten  his  first  great  mi- 
racle in  Cana,  of  turning  water  into  wine,  even 
though  his  own  mother  solicitously  prompted 
him  to  that  glorious  exertion  of  his  divinity.— 
He  would  not  go  up  to  the  feast,  till  the  right 
time.  So  neither  would  he  begin  his  own  pub- 
lic ministration  (which  was  for  the  ending  of  all 


A    GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  5 

shadows,  the  abolition  and  blotting  out  the  hand- 
writing of  ordinances)  till  John's  (which  was 
much  in  the  shadow)  was  fulfilled.  "  The  law 
and  the  prophets  prophesied  until  John."  John 
was  himself  both  a  prophet  and  under  the  law, 
yet  he  and  his  ministration  were  until  Christ. 
He  coming  after  the  rest  of  the  prophets,  being 
sent  immediately  before  the  face  of  the  Lord, 
and  to  prepare  his  way,  in  no  wise  hindered  his 
being  a  prophet  himself.  Christ  testifies,  among 
them  that  are  born  of  women,  there  hatb  not 
risen  a  greater,  Mat.  xi.  11.  He  also  says,  Mat. 
v.  17,  18,  "  think  not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy 
the  law  or  the  prophets ;  I  am  not  come  to  de- 
stroy, but  to  fulfil ;  for  verily  I  say  unto  you, 
till  heaven  and  earth  pass,  one  jot  or  one  tittle 
shall  in  no  wise  pass  from  the  law,  till  all  be  ful- 
filled" Here  we  see  he  came  to  fulfil  both  the 
laiv,  and  the  predictions  of  the  prophets.  Accord- 
ingly we  read  of  divers  things  said  to  be  done, 
that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by 
the  prophets  or  spoken  aforetime.  Hence,  though 
John  came  after  the  others,  and  as  it  were  reach- 
ed from  them  to  Christ,  yet  he  too  came  under 
the  law,  and  was  one  among  the  prophets,  which 
Christ  came  not  to  destroy,  but  whose  predic- 
tions and  fore-running  dispensations  he  came  to 
fulfil.  John's  prophetic  declaration  was  emi- 
nently pertinent,  in  regard  to  the  great  work  of 
Christ  in  gospel  baptism,  the  sanetification  of 
souls;  and  so  was  hi§ figurative  immersion  ;  and 
Christ,  in  his  saving  baptism,  amply  fulfils  bojtli 
the  prophecy  and  the  sign.  Christ  was"  made 
under  the  law"  himself,  Gal.  iv.  4;  then  sure- 
jy  so  was  John.  And  seeing  John's  watery  mi- 
B 


0  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

nistration  was  to  prepare  Christ's  way,  and  leati 
to  his  saving  baptism ;  Christ  having  thu's  care- 
fully deferred  his  own  public  ministration  till 
John's  was  fulfilled,  as  soon  as  this  was  done, 
and  John  cast  into  prison,  the  right  time  being 
now  exactly  arrived,  he  went  forthwith,  on  hear- 
ing of  John's  imprisonment,  into  Galilee;  and 
there  and  "  from  that  time  began  to  preach," 
and  proclaim  the  word  and  gospel  of  that  un- 
shadowy  dispensation  and  kingdom,  which  ends 
and  fulfils  all  mere  signs  and  figures,  and  is  to 
increase  and  remain  of  perpetual  continuance. 
Hence  Peter  declares  the  word  "  was  published 
throughout  all  Judea,  and  began  from  Galilee, 
after  the  baptism  which  John  preached,"  Acts 
x.  37;  and  may  we  not  safely  conclude,  from 
Peter's  so  particularly  mentioning  this,  as  being 
after  John's  baptism,  and  from  the  evangelist's 
mentioning  it  as  after  his  imprisonment,  that 
they  had  heard  our  Lord  express  his  acting  on 
special  principle  in  thus  deferring  his  own  pub- 
lic ministry,  till  his  forerunner's,  in  that  forerun- 
ning baptism,  was  fulfilled;  and  especially  as 
his  going  into  Galilee,  to  begin  his  said  public 
ministry,  is  expressly  said  to  be.  "  that  it  might 
be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  byEsaias  the  pre 
phet  ?"  Mat.  iv.  14. 

Thus  it  seems  he  acted  with  special  design, 
both  as  to  thep/ace  where  and  the  time  when  he 
began  the  open  publication  of  the  glorious  gos- 
pel. It  was  therefore  with  divine  pertinency, 
that  as  he  began  this  gracious  publication,  he 
first  of  all  announced  "  the  time  is  fulfilled. ,*'  Bis 
hour  teas  now  come.     For  well  knowing  when  it 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE  7 

was  and  when  it  "  was  not  yet  come,"  he  had 
now  waited  till  John  had  first  preached,  accord- 
ing to  Paul's  testimony,  "  the  baptism  of  repent- 
ance to  all  the  people  of  Israel ;"  and  so  had 
"  fulfilled  his  course."  See  Acts  xiii.  24,  25. 
All  this  tends  forcihly  and  beautifully  to  open 
both  the  necessity  of  his  beinL'  baptized  of  John, 
just  then,  when  he  was,  and  the  meaning  of  his 
answer,  when  John  forbade  him.  John  knew 
his  own  baptism  was  not  saving,  was  not  Christ's; 
but  was  to  decrease  and  end  in  Christ's,  being 
only  designed  for  our  Lord's  manifestation  to 
Israel,  and  to  prepare  the  people  for  his  saving 
baptism.— -And  knowing  this,  John  plainly  and 
honestly  testifies,  that  he  should  be  made  mani- 
fest to  Israel,  "  therefore  am  I  come  baptizing 
with  water,"  John  i.  31.  This  plain  and  full 
testimony,  from  the  mouth  of  John  himself,  at 
once  evinces  that  his  baptism,  being  but  with 
water,  was  far  different  from  Christ's,  and  in* 
ferior  to  it;  and  that  it  was  to  introduce,  or  as  a 
sign  to  assist  in  turning  the  minds  of  the  people 
to  look  for,  receive  and  submit  to  the  burning, 
purifying  baptism  of  the  gospel.— In  short,  water 
baptism  and  Christ's  are  plainly  type  and  anti- 
type; and  accordingly  Peter,  speaking  of  the. 
baptism  which  now  saves,  uses  the  Greek  wore! 
antitypon,  1  Pet.  iii.  21. 

Peter  doubtless  knew  the  type  ox  figure  could 
not  save.  It  is  "  the  ingrafted  word  which  is 
able  to  save"  the  soul,  James  i.  21.  Christ  sanc- 
tifies and  cleanses  the  church  "  with  the  wash- 
ing of  water  by  the  word,11  Eph.  v.  26\  This 
'*■  ingrafted  word,"  this  sanctifying  "washing  of 


9  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

water  by  the  word,"  is  all  inward  and  spiritual-. 
It  is  the  antitype  of  the  divers  washings  under 
Moses,  and  equally  so  of  water  baptism,  in  every 
form.  This  cleanses  the  soul,  as  outward  water 
does  the  body,  and  puts  away  the  filth  of  the 
spirit,  as  that  does  the  filth  of  the  flesh."  Hence, 
and  hence  only>  it  is  saving :  herein  is  the  alone 
propriety  of  Peter's  words,  u  baptism  doth  also 
now  save  us"  As  Christ  came  to  fulfil  the  law 
of  commandments,  contained  in  outward  or- 
dinances, and  to  end  every  dispensation  of  signs 
and  shadows,  he  had  many  things  to  submit  to, 
on  purpose  io  fulfil  the  typical  righteousness  of 
those  dispensations.  Hence  he  was  circumcised, 
kept  the  law,  celebrated  the  passover,  &c.  On 
the  same  ground,  it  behoved  him  to  be  baptized 
in  water,  the  last  lively  typical  representation  of 
his  own  great  work  of  sanctification,  that  is,  the 
last  in  the  course  of  time  preceding  his  beginning 
the  publication  of  the  gospel  word  from  Gaiiiee. 
But  when  he  came  to  John  to  be  baptized  of  him, 
John  not  knowing  his  design  in  it,  nor  why  it 
must  be  so,  forbade  him,  saying,  "  1  have  need 
to  be  baptized  of  thee,  and  comest  thou  to  me?" 
Mat.  iii.  14.  It  is  not  at  all  strange  that  John 
forbade  him  ;  for  he  knew  his  own  baptism,  be- 
ing outward,  typical,  and  preparatory,  was  to 
decrease,  and  give  place  to  Christ's.  It  was  "  un- 
to repentance;"  by  a  total  outside  immersion,  it 
pointed  out  the  necessity  of  the  removal  of  all 
sin,  and  bringing  "  forth  fruits  meet  for  repent- 
ance.''  It  was  used  for  his  manifestation  to 
Israel,  whose  fiery  baptism  alone  could  effect 
this  inward  cleansing  from  all  sin.  Christ  was 
neither  ignorant  of  himself,  nor  guilty  of  sin. 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  9 

Hence  he  could  not  receive  John's  figurative  im- 
mersion upon  the  same  grounds  as  others  did, 
neither  in  order  to  repentance  and  remission  of 
sin,  nor  in  order  to  be  made  manifest  to  himself. 
John  doubtless  marvelled,  therefore,  to  see  him 
come  to  his  baptism.  For  though  it  seems  he 
did  not,  before  this,  so  fully  know  him  to  be  the 
Christ  as  he  did  afterwards,  yet  on  his  now  com- 
ing to  him,  it  seems  he  had  some  sense  and 
knowledge  of  it,  and  marvelled  at  his  coming. 
But  our  Lord  graciously  condescended  to  shew 
on  what  grounds  it  was  now  necessary :  that  it 
was  neither  in  order  to  repentance  in  htm,  nor 
to  a  manifestation  of  him  to  himself  nor  yet  to 
perpetuate  a  symbolical  institution  under  the 
gospel ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  to  fulfil  it.  Christ 
knew  the  sign  must  precede  the  substance.  He 
knew  the  many  symbols  of  the  law  were  but  "a 
shadow  of  things  to  come,"  Col.  ii.  17;  that  the 
law,  with  all  its  figurative  offerings,  cleansings, 
and  divers  washings,  was  a  school-master  for  a 
season,  to  lead  to  himself,  the  substance;  see 
Gal,  iii.  24.  He  knew  "the  baptism  which 
John  preached"  was  the  peculiar  sign  or  repre- 
sentation of  his  own,  and  was  used  to  prepare 
the  people's  minds  for  it,  and  thereby  prepare 
in  their  hearts  the  way  of  the  Lord,  and  lead 
forward  to  his  saving  manifestation  to  Israel. 
Therefore  had  he  began  the  publication  of  the 
gospel  of  that  spiritual  kingdom,  which  is  with" 
out  signs  and  shadows,  and  cometh  not  with  out" 
ward  observations,  before  John,  the  administra- 
tor of  a  baptism  figurative  thereof,  had  first 
fulfilled  his  course  in  that  figurative  administra- 
tion, it  would  by  no  means  so  fully,  strikingly 
B2 


10  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

and  instructively  have  answered  and  illustrated 
the  designs  of  eternal  wisdom,  as  his  deferring 
it  till  afterwards ;  for,  how  then  could  John's 
work  have  been  strictly  according  to  God's  de* 
sign  in  sending  him  ?  that  is,  to  prepare  the  way 
of  the  Lord*--' to  go  before  him — and  make  ready 
a  people  prepared  for  him;  see  Luke  i.  17. 

Hence  it  was  necessary,  that,  in  the  course  of 
God's  divine  Providence,  and  divers  dispensa- 
tions, he  who  was  to  go  before  our  Lord  in  the 
power  and  spirit  of  E lias ,  thus  to  prepare  his 
way,  should  be  sent  seasonably  to  begin  and 
"  fulfil  his  course,"  in  that  ministration  and  bap- 
'ism  which  was  in  order  to  the  manifestation  of 
vhe  great  gospel  baptizer,  before  the  publication 
of  that  word  which  began  from  Galilee,  after 
his  baptism.  Hence  also  it  was  necessary  that 
Jesus  should  be  baptized  in  the  figure,  and  thus 
accomplish  what  lie  had  to  do  outwardly  in  the 
fulfilment  of  water  baptism,  previously  to  that 
wonderful  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  him. 
For  as  he  was  to  be  "  anointed  to  preach  the 
gospel"  (see  Luke  iv.  18)  and  as  this  anointing 
was  by  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  that  was  upon  him, 
and  not  by  his  baptism  in  water,  therefore,  as 
the  time  drew  near  that  he  must  enter,  thus  a- 
uointed,  upon  his  public  ministry,  it  behoved 
him  first  to  submit  to  John's  baptism,  that  all 
things  might  be  done  in  proper  season,  and  foL 
IoW  in  regular  succession,  one  after  another. 

The  Almighty  had  given  John  beforehand  to 
understand,  that  he  on  whom  he  should  see  the 
iloly  Ghosi  not  only  descending,  but  also  re- 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  11 

maining  on  him,  "  the  same  is  he  which  baptiz- 
eth  with  the  Holy  Ghost,"  John  i.  33.  Thus 
was  the  descent  and  abiding  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
even  on  our  Lord  himself,  pointed  out  as  that 
which  alone  could  qualify  to  baptize  others  with 
it;  and  it  will  hold  good  of  all  his  disciples  and 
ministers  to  the  world's  end.  Therefore  they 
have  his  promise  to  be  with  them  by  his  spirit, 
the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  execution  of  his  great 
commission,  to  baptize  into  the  divine  name  and 
power  of  Father,  Son,  &c.  And  as  all  sent  by 
him  to  baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost  must  be 
first  so  baptized  themselves,  he  sat  the  glorious 
example.  And  when  he  came  afterwards  to 
send  them  forth  in  the  great  work  of  baptizing, 
he  declared  with  divine  propriety,  *  gs  my  Fa- 
ther hath  sent  me,  even  so  send  I  you"  And 
shewing  plainly  how  that  was,  he  "  breathed 
on  them,  and  saith  unto  them,  receive  ye  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  John  xx.  21,  22.  See  how  ex- 
actly he  sent  them  to  baptize,  &c.  as  his  Father 
sent  him.  His  Father,  sending  him  to  baptize 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  breathed  it,  or  caused  it 
to  descend  and  abide  upon  him.  This  proved 
and  proclaimed  him  to  be  the  baptizer  ivith  it ; 
he  sending  his  servants  to  baptize  with  the  same 
baptism,  breathed  on  them,  that  they  might  re- 
ceive a  measure  of  the  qualification  as  he  receiv- 
ed of  his  Father.  And  this  was  truly  necessary 
— the  same  work  requires  the  same  qualifications 
— "  he  that  believeth  on  me,"  (says  Christ)  "  the 
works  that  I  do,  shall  he  do  also,"  John  xiv.  12. 

He  was  not  baptized  with  water,  to  qualify 
him  so  to  baptize  others;  for  he  baptized  none 


12  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

in  water;  the  work  which  he  did  in  baptism, 
was  inward,  and  with  the  Holy  Ghost—  the  spi- 
ritual purifying  fire  of  the  Lord.  He  did  not 
breathe  on  his  disciples,  and  baptize  them  with 
the  Holy  Ghost,  to  qualify  them  to  baptize  o- 
thers  in  water ;  that  had  not  been  sending  them 
as  his  father  Sent  him:  it  had  not  been  sending 
them,  nor  enabling  them  to  do  the  same  work, 
and  baptize  with  the  same  baptism,  as  he  did. 
Had  he,  after  breathing  on  them,  sent  them, 
qualified  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  baptize  with 
a  mere  element,  it  had  been  very  different  from 
his  Father's  sending  him  in  the  power  and  bap- 
tism of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  baptize  others  with 
the  same.  And  as  their  qualification  to  admin- 
ister his  spiritual  baptism  was  that  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  coming  upon  them;  so,  in  bison*?*  case, 
the  descent  and  abiding  thereof  upon  him  was  the 
very  thing  made  use  of  by  the  wisdom  of  God, 
whereby  to  manifest  him  more  clearly  unto  John 
as  the  gospel  baptizer.  Seeing,  therefore,  this 
his  qualification  for  baptizing  with  his  own  great 
gospel  baptism,  which  is  after  and  superior  to 
all  signs,  must  be  received  from  on  high,  before 
he  began  that  glorious  gospel  ministry,  which  is 
also  without  signs,  it  was,  as  before  noted,  ne- 
cessary for  him  previously  to  submit  to  that 
baptism,  which  being  but  a  sign,  was  to  decrease 
and  end  in  the  substance,  which  the  sign  point- 
ed to— Hence  the  necessity  of  his  waiting  till 
John  had  first  baptized  many  of  the  people, 
borne  testimony  to  one  coming  after  him,  and 
turned  their  minds  to  the  necessity  of  his  more 
spiritual  and  refining  baptism.— And  hence  also 
the  necessity  of  his  receiving  that  baptism  which 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  13 

was  only  in  the  sign,  and  to  vanish  as  the  sub- 
stance was  experienced  ;  not  after,  but  before  he 
received  that  descent  and  abiding  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  upon  him,  which  pointed  him  out  as  the 
great  administrator  of  that  baptism  which,  in  the 
very  order  of  things,  is  after  that  which  is  but 
a  shadow  of  the  good  things  to  come,  Thus  the 
type  was  kept  in  its  time  and  place ;  before, 
not  after,  the  antitype.  But  had  riot  Christ's 
baptism  in  the  type,  to  fulfil  it,  as  a  thing 
ending  in  the  antitype,  been  preposterous,  had 
it  been  after  his  glorious  anti typical  baptism 
and  anointing,  by  the  descent  and  abiding  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  upon  him?— This  being  the  case, 
there  is  evidently  a  very  beautiful  display  of 
wisdom  arid  propriety  in  our  Lord's  answtr  to 
John,  when  John  forbade  him.  Indeed  every 
part  of  it,  to  me,  seems  full  of  divine  instruc- 
tion. It  satisfied  John,  nd  removed  all  his  scru- 
ples; for  though  he  did  not  at  first  know  that 
Jesus  must  be  baptized,  as  well  as  circumcised, 
in  the. figure,  and  submit  to  the  other  figurative 
institutions  of  the  law,  in  order  to  fulfil  all  the 
figurative  or  typical  righteousness  of  the  several 
dispensations  preceding  the  gospel ;  yet  he 
seems  well  to  have  known  that  his  baptism 
must  vanish  and  decrease,  as  being  in  its  nature. 
outward,  and  in  its  design  but  preparatory  to 
Christ's.  Hence,  says  he,  "he  must  increase, 
but  I  must  decrease,"  John  iii.  30.  "  I  indeed 
baptize  you  with  water,  but  he  shall  baptize  you 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,"  verse  11.  And  thus, 
knowing  the  preparatory,  decreasing  and  ter- 
minating nature  and  design  of  water  baptism, 
what  further  he  wanted  to  know,  to  induce  him 


14  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

to  baptize  our  Lord,  was,  that  in  order  proper- 
ly *o  decrease  and  fulfil  what  he  already  knew 
must  decrease  and  he  fulfilled,  the  Lord  of  life 
and  glory  must  stoop  to  it  himself;  and  there- 
fore, as  soon  as  the  blessed  Jesus  had  convinced 
him  of  this,  he  readily,  without  more  ado,  bap- 
tized him. — And  of  this  our  Lord's  answer  at 
once  convinced  him,  it  being  full  to  the  purpose. 
Let  us  trace  it. 

The  very  first  word  is  instructive.  "  Suffer  it 
to  be  so."  Mat.  hi.  15,  as  if  he  had  said-— I  in- 
deed have  no  need  of  it,  no  sin  to  repent  of— 
nor  do  I  wish  it  done  to  manifest  me  to  myself; 
it  is  not  at  all  of  necessity  to  me  in  this  sense; 
thou,  John,  art  therefore  rather  to  suffer  it,  than 
administer  it  as  thou  dost  to  others,  to  teach 
them  their  necessity  of  a  thorough  cleansing, 
and  turn  their  minds  to  me  and  my  baptism, 
which  alone  can  effect  it.— It  is  true,  as  thou 
art  sensible,  this  is  not  my  baptism,  nor  any 
part  of  my  gospel  dispensation  :  mine,  all  have 
need  of;  thou  art  right  in  saying  thou  thyself 
hast  need  to  be  baptized  of  me.  And  as  mine  is 
the  alone  gospel  baptism,  it  is  not  strange  that 
thou  admirest  at  my  submitting  to  that  of  water; 
for  truly  it  would  be  highly  contrary  to  the  pu- 
rity and  simplicity  of  my  gospel,  to  perpetuate 
any  ceremonial  observances  under  the  full  sun» 
shine  thereof:  but  this  is  by  no  means  my  inten- 
tion, but  directly  the  reverse;  I  do  it  on  pur- 
pose to  fulfil  outside  things,  and  make  way  for 
me  to  introduce,  and  publish  to  the  world,  that 
gospel  which  is  after,  and  to  end  all  types  and 
shadows:  and  which,   for   that  very  reason,  I 


A   GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  J  ( > 

cannot  properly  even  begin  the  publication  of 
before ;  but  must,  in  order  to  a  regular  proce- 
dure, defer,  till  after  I  have  submit? ed  to  this 
figurative  baptism  which  thou  preachest.  By 
which  thou  mayest  clearly  see,  that  in  baptiz- 
ing me  in  the  figure,  a  thing  so  different  from 
my  unfigurative  baptism  and  gospel,  thou  art, 
properly  speaking,  to  suffer  it  to  be  so.-— Next 
the  word  now  is  strikingly  significant.  "  Suffer 
it  to  be  so  now."  This  important  word  is  not 
used  here  without  special  propriety  and  design 
-—it  is  the  dictate  of  eternal  wisdom;  for  now 
was  the  very  juncture  of  time,  now  the  pure  un- 
shadowy  gospel  dispensation  was  but  at  hand, 
not  yet  brought  in.  Christ  had  not  yet  suffer- 
ed ;  nay,  he  had  not  yet  even  began  publicly  to 
promulgate  the  gospel  of  that  kingdom,  the 
baptism  of  which  is  only  spiritual;  and  there- 
fore he  might  now  properlv  partake  of  that 
which  only  pointed  to  it,  and  was  to  end  in  it. 
And  further,  now,  was  the  exact  period  for  him 
to  do  what  he  had  to  do  outwardly  in  fulfilling 
it ;  because  John  had  now  preached  the  bapt?s?n 
of  repentance  to  many,  if  not  literally,  as  Paul 
says,  to  all  the  people  of  Israel,  Acts  xiii.  24, 
perhaps  to  nearly,  or  quite  all,  in  those  parts.-— 
At  least,  according  to  Mat.  iii.  5,  we  may  con- 
clude, they  of  Jerusalem,  and  all  Judea,  and 
all  the  region  round  about  Jordan,  had  noio 
been  baptized  of  John,  and  Christ  was  now 
soon  to  begin  his  own  gospel  ministry,  and  there- 
in to  preach  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  as  an  in- 
ternal unfigurative  dispensation,  to  the  souls  of 
men.  Now  therefore  was  the  very  time,  in  the 
course  and  order  of  things,  for  him  to  be  bap- 


16  THE   BAPTISM   OF    CHRIST 

tized  in  outward  water;  the  acceptable  moment 
for  John  to  suffer  it  to  be  so.  John  had,  as  he 
baptized  the  people,  diligently  preached  the 
kingdom  at  hand,  not  yet  fully  come,  and  taught 
them  to  look  beyond  his  outward,  to  Christ's 
inward  and  saving  baptism.— This  he  powerful- 
ly and  positively  declared  should  be  effected  by 
one  then  among  them,  though  they  knew  him 
not.  So  near  was  the  kingdom  now  at  hand,  and 
fast  approaching.  This  greatly  raised  their  ex- 
pectations. Indeed  the  fire  ot  Christ's  baptism 
began  to  kindle  in  some  of  their  hearts;  for 
Christ  declares  he  came  to  send  fire  on  the  earth-, 
"  and  what  will  I"  (says  he)  "  if  it  be  already 
kindled?"  Luke  xii.  49.  It  truly  was  so  in  some 
degree  in  many  minds,  even  that  very  fire  where- 
by his  baptism  thoroughly  cleanses,  in  its  com- 
plete operation,  the  whole  floor  of  the  heart. 
Therefore  it  was  now  time  for  him  soon  to  begin 
his  public  gospel  testimony,  which  in  strict  pro- 
priety ought  to,  and  in  fact  did,  succeed,  not 
precede,  the  baptism  of  water,  which  was  John's 
—and  by  which,  and  the  preaching  attending 
it,  John  had  thus  prepared  the  people  for 
Christ's,  according  to  the  express  design  of  his 
mission ;  which  was,  as  noted  before.  "  to 
make  ready  a  people  prepared  for  the  Lord." 

John's  preaching,  baptism,  and  singular  life, 
being  in  the  desert  till  the  time  of  his  shewing 
unto  Israel,  then  wearing  a  leathtrn  girdle,  and 
coat  of  Camel's  hair,  neither  eating  flesh  nor 
drinking  wine,  but  eating  locusts  and  wild  ho- 
ney, &c.  wrought  greatiyon  the  minds  of  many. 
They  mused  much  of  John;  and  were  anxious 


A  GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  17 

to  know,  -whether  he  were  the  Christ  or  not. 
John  declared  honestly  he  was  not ;  but  that  he 
was  truly  unworthy,  in  comparison  of  him~ 
that  his  baptism  was  but  with  water,  a  very  in- 
ferior thing,  compared  with  Christ's— designed 
to  prepare  for  it,  and  just  serving  in  order  to  his 
manifestation  to  Israel,  and  then  to  decrease  and 
give  place  to  him  and  his  baptism,  which  is  to 
increase,  and  of  the  increase  whereof  there  is  no 
end.  John  was  truly  modest,  and  sought  not  to 
defraud  Christ  of  any  of  his  glory  ;  but  honestly 
and  openly  both  confessed  his  own  inferiority, 
and  turned  the  people's  attention  from  himself 
to  his  Lord,  saying,  "behold  the  iamb  of  God, 
which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world,"  John 
j.  29.— Thus  the  time  hastened— the  slate  of 
thins  gripened. — Indeed  the  "kingdom  of  hea- 
ven suffered  violence."  And  the  minds  of  some, 
under  the  pressure  of  what  they  felt  working  in 
them,  rushed  into  it  as  it  were  by  force;  that  is, 
before  the  full  time  for  its  more  glorious  and 
ample  display  and  establishment,  which  was  not 
to  be  till  Christ  had  suffered.  Hence,  says  Jesus, 
Mat.  xi.  12,  "  from  the  days  of  John  the  Baptist, 
until  now,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  sutfereth  vio- 
lence, and  the  violent  take  it  by  force."  Their 
hearts  were  so  engaged,  and  the  working  of  the 
seed  or  leaven  of  the  kingdom  was  so  prevalent 
in  them,  that,  as  it  were  by  a  kind  of  violent  an- 
ticipation, they  took,  or  obtained,  some  real  pos- 
session and  enjoyment  of  the  pure  antitypical 
life,  liberty,  power  and  substance  of  the  spiritual 
kingdom  of  God;  before  that  more  glorious  out- 
breaking, and  more  general  establishment  and 
exaltation  thereof  among  the  people,  which  took 
C 


IS  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

place  after  Christ  had  suffered,  and  had  fulfilled 
all  the  symbolical  righteousness  of  signs  and  sha- 
dows, and  triumphed  over  them  all,  nailing  them 
to  his  cross;  thus  ascending  up  on  high,  leading 
captivity  captive,  and  bountifully  giving  gifts 
unto  men. 

And  why  is  the  kingdom  said  to  suffer  this 
kind  of  violence  from  the  days  of  John  the  Bap* 
tist,  but  because  the  power  of  his  ministry,  his 
living  testimony  concerning  Christ  and  his  bap- 
tism, had  greatly  wrought  upon  their  hearts? 
John's  preaching  and  description  of  Christ's  bap- 
tism was  very  awakening— he  struck  against  ail 
false  dependencies — nothing  would  do  short  of 
fruits  worthy  of  a  state  of  real  unfeigned  repent- 
ance: no  claims  of  outward  descent  from  Abra- 
ham—nor any  mere  plungings  in  water,  no  par- 
tial cleansings  or  half-way  reformations;  not  one 
or  two  only,  but  every  corrupt  tree  of  the  whole 
heart  must  be  hewn  doicn,  and  cast  into  the  f  re. 
Thus  the  axe  was  now  laid  to  the  very  root  of 
the  tree;  lopping  the  branches  only  would  not 
do — it  must  come  to  thorough  work,  even  to 
burning  up  all  the  chaff,  and  gathering  the 
wheat,  winnowed  therefrom,  into  the  garner  of 
iheLord.  This  doctrine  was  so  forcibly  promul- 
gated by  John,  and  had  such  effect  upon  some 
who  were  waiting  for  the  consolation  of  Israel, 
that  it  was  now  time  for  Jesus  to  submit  to 
John's  baptism,  in  order  to  the  fulfilment  of  the 
typical  righteousness  thereof,  and  to  make  way 
for  the  word,  gospel  and  antitypical  righteous- 
ness of  his  own  inward  and  spiritual  kingdom 
among  them.     Thus  urgent  and   pressing  was 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  19 

the  necessity  of  our  Lord's  soon  entering  upon 
his  own  public  ministration  in  the  work  of  the 
everlasting  gospel,  and  which  he  accordingly 
did  enter  upon  almost  immediately  after  John's 
imprisonment.  Well  therefore  might  he,  as  to 
his  baptism  in  water,  urge  it  upon  John  to  "  suf- 
fer it  (o  be  so  now'''  just  now,  without  further 
delay:  for  thus  it  becometh  us,  says  he,  io  fuL 
fit  all  righteousness.  Observe  the  word  all — for 
even  the  most  outward,  typical  and  decreasing 
institutions,  that  had  really  been  of  God,  of 
right  demanded  veneration;  it  was  a  point  of 
real  righteousness  rightly  to  observe,  and  rightly 
to  fulfil  them.  And  as  Christ  came  to  *'  blot  out 
the  hand-writing  of  ordinances,  and  take  it  out 
of  the  way,"  (see  Col.  ii.  13,)  and  so  to  bring 
his  people  to  a  single  attention  to  the  new  cove- 
nant written  in  the  heart,  and  of  which  he  him- 
self is  mediator;  it  did  truly  and  highly  become 
him,  seeing  he  came  not  to  redeem  from  the 
bondage  of  the  law,  and  rudiments  or  shadows 
of  good  things,  by  destroying,  but  by  fulfilling, 
to  unite  with  John  in  fulfilling  water  baptism; 
for  that  could  no  morep«5\s  rightly  away,  till  it. 
was  fulfilled,  than  any  other  outward  ordinance. 
All  the  shadows  were  but  for  a  time,  and  to  end 
in  the  substance — and  so  faithful  was  Christ  in 
all  his  work  and  office,  that  he  would  not  suffer 
a  jot  or  tittle  to  pass  from  the  law,  till  all  was 
fulfilled.  Hence  on  the  same  ground  he  says  to 
John,  "  it  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all  righteous- 
ness." The  righteousness  of  that  ordinance  of 
water  baptism,  was  at  best  but  under  or  during 
the  law  of  outward  commandments.  Immersion 
in  water  was  enjoined  and  had  often  been  prac* 


iO  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

iised  among  the  Jews  before,  and  baptism  was 
in  some  sort  and  on  some  occasions  used  as  an 
initiatory  ordinance  among  them.  John  indeed 
used  it  somewhat  differently,  but  both  he  him- 
self and  his  baptism  were  previous  to  the  abro- 
gation of  the  ceremonial  law,  which  continued 
in  force  till  several  years  after  he  had  quite  ful- 
filled his  course,  even  till  our  Lord's  resurrec- 
tion. 

Indeed  Jesus  himself  enjoined  its  punctual 
observance;  so  true  is  the  Apostle's  testimony, 
that  he  was  "  made  under  the  law,"  Gal.  iv.  4. 
and  was  under  tutors  and  governors  till  the  time 
appointed  of  the  Father,  verse  c2 :  so  that  the 
expressions  of  the  law  and  Prophets  prophecy* 
ing  until  John,  are  of  no  more  authority  to  dis- 
prove John's  being  strictly  under  the  law,  than 
they  are  10  disprove  his  being  strictly  a  Prophet. 

Christ  declares  him  a  Prophet,  yea  and  more 
than  a  Prophet.  And  his  being  more  than  a  Pro- 
phet, is  the  true  ground  of  this  distinction  res- 
pecting the  law  and  the  Prophets  prophecying 
until  John;  not  that  either  the  law  or  the  Pro- 
phets had  then  ceased,  but  John,  as  great  a  Pro- 
phet as  any  born  of  woman,  and  as  truly  under 
the  law,  was  also  so  much  more  than  a  Prophet, 
that  he  was  the  immediate  forerunner  of  our 
Lord  ;  a  voice  proclaiming  him  not  as  coming 
afar  off,  but  as  then  standing  among  the  people, 
or  as  it  were  a  finger  pointing  directly  to  him,  as 
then  come  in  that  body  of  flesh,  And  it  is  re- 
markable, how  much  John's  preaching  and  tes- 
timony concerning  Christ  are  confined  to  his 


A    GOSI»£L    ORDINANCE.  21 

soul-purifying  baptism.  This,  and  a  plain,  full 
and  repeated  declaration  and  description  of  the 
very  great  difference  between  this  and  that  with 
water,  seems  to  be  the  main  scope  and  subject 
with  John.  And  there  is  much  divine  wisdom 
and  propriety  in  its  being  so;  for  John  was  the 
only  administrator  of  water  baptism,  even  spe- 
cially ordained,  ctnd  sent  of  God,  as  such.  He 
ran  not  of  himself,  as  it  is  to  be  feared  many  now 
do;  God  sent  him,  yea  sent  him  expressly  to 
baptize  with  water,  according  to  John  i.  33  ;  and 
why?  plainly  "  that  Christ  might  be  made  ma- 
nifest to  Israel,"  as  before  noticed. 

Now  therefore,  as  baptism  in  water  was  that 
peculiar  outward  action,  or  ordinance,  which 
was  chosen  and  directed  of  God  to  prepare  the 
way  of  his  Son,  introduce  and  manifest  him  to 
lsrael\  we  may  depend  upon  it,  it  was  because 
he  would  have  him  specially  manifested  and  in- 
troduced to  their  notice  and  acceptance,  as  the 
great  gospel  baptizer,  refiner  and  purifier  of 
souls.  In  short,  the  baptism  of  Christ  compre- 
hends so  much,  so  nearly  all,  in  the  work  of 
sanctification,  and  creation  anew  in  him,  that 
the  Father  Almighty,  in  his  unlimited  goodness, 
and  good  will  to  men,  took  special  care  that 
John,  the  preparer  of  his  way,  in  the  power  and 
spirit  of  Elias,  should  be  expressly  sent  before 
him,  baptizing  in  water,  as  a  lively  resemblance 
and  representation  of  his  great  work,  in  tho- 
roughly cleansing  the  floor  of  the  heart.  This 
was  John's  proper  business.  Hence  he  is  repeat* 
edly  and  almost  constantly  called  John  the  Bap- 
tist, or  baptizer,  as  some  translate  it.  He  went 
C2 


22  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CIIKISJ 

before  the  face  of  the  Lord,  (baptizing  men's  bo- 
dies) to  prepare  his  way  as  the  baptizer  of  souls. 
For  this  reason,  he  dwells  almost  wholly  on  the 
description  of  Christ's  baptism,  the  manner  of 
his  effecting  it,  the  operations  and  effects  of  it, 
and  the  very  great  superiority  of  it  to  that  of 
icater. 

In  words,  he  fully  and  forcibly  inculcates, 
that  in  its  complete  operation  it  effects  an  entire 
purification— no  corrupt  or  even  unfruitful  tree 
is  to  be  left— nor  chaff  remaining  with  the  wheat. 
The  fire  of  this  baptism  is  holy,  yea  the  fire  of 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  where  the  heart  submits  to 
its  influence,  it  is,  so  long  as  filth  remaineth, 
truly  unquenchable;  it  burns  till  ail  is  consum- 
ed, till  the  dross,  and  tin,  and  what  is  more, 
the  reprobate  silver  (h:>wever  specious  in  appear- 
ance, and  current  among  many  for  true  devo- 
tion, and  real  religion)  is  separated  and  done 
away  from  the  gold  ;  for  the  vessels  in  the  Lord's 
house  spiritually,  are  made  of  beaten  gold,  such 
as  have  endured  the  Lord's/re,  and  been  refined 
in  his  furnace ;  for  this  only  can  bear  the  ham- 
?ner,  so  as  thereby  to  be  beaten  and  formed  into 
chosen  vessels  in  his  holy  house,  which  "  holi- 
ness becometh  forever,"  see  Psalm  xciii.5.  And 
as  his  house  is  a  house  of  holiness,  so  the  way  of 
his  ransomed  is  a  "  way  of  holiness;  the  unclean 
shall  not  pass  over  it,"  Isa.  xxxv.  S.  None  can 
walk  in  it  but  in  proportion  as  they  are  baptized 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  puiifying  fire,  and 
thus  made  fit  vessels  for  the  Lord's  house;  for 
the  Prophet  Zachariah,  xiv.  gl,  winds  up  his 
prophecy  of  gospel  times  with  a  positive  decla- 


A   GOSPSL    ORDINANCE.  23 

ration,  that  in  that  day  "  every  pot  in  Jerusalem 
and  in  Judah  shall  be  holiness  unto  the  Lord  of 
Hosts." 

That  this  state  might  be  attained,  we  have 
seen  that  John's  description  of  Christ's  baptism, 
even  to  the  very  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  and 
Judea,  outwardly  (though  I  think  little  of  local- 
ity in  this  case)  represents  it  as  effecting  tho- 
rough purification,  as  perfecting  holiness  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord.  And  this  he  not  only  teaches 
in  words,  but  shews  them  in  his  manner  of  bap- 
tizing, plunging  them  all  over  in  water,  as  if  he 
would  have  rivetted  it  in  their  minds,  that  no- 
thing short  of  complete  satisfaction  would  an- 
swer. 

He  indeed  baptized  them  in  water,  and  evea 
in  that,  though  merely  a  figure  of  the  one  gos* 
pel  baptism,  he  plainly  held  forth  perfection,  or 
perfect  cleansing,  or  why  did  he  wash  them  all 
over?  If  Christ's  baptism  effects  only  a  partial, 
half-way  cleansing  in  this  life,  would  not  a  par- 
tial, half-way  washing,  or  sprinkling,  more 
properly  have  represented  it,  and  therefore  have 
been  a  more  proper  way  to  have  prepared  the  way 
of  the  Lord,  and  furthered  his  manifestation  to 
Israel ? 

Surely  his  forerunner  ought  so  to  prepare  his 
way,  as  to  give  a  just  idea  of  him,  and  of  his 
work;  and  so  to  represent  and  shadow  out  his 
baptism,  as  to  raise  proper  sentiments  and  de- 
sires in  the  well  disposed  respecting  it.  And 
this,  in  fact,  he  was  very  careful  to  do  ;  for  as 


24  THE    BAPTISM   OF   CHRIST 

he  was  so  much  more  than  a  PropJiet,  that  he 
was  specially  appointed,  and  sent  to  prepare 
Christ's  way,  and  eminently  to  contribute,  by 
that  very  significant  figure,  towards  his  proper 
manifestation  to  Israel,  he  fell  not  behind  the 
rest  of  the  Prophets  in  testimony  to  the  fulness 
and  completeness  of  that  baptism,  whereby 
Christ  saves  his  people,  not  in  but  from  their 
sins.  He  was  so  faithful  to  his  trust,  that,  not 
satisfied  with  repeated  metaphorical  illustrations 
of  it  by  word  of  mouth,  as  of  the  axe,  fan 
and  fire,  yea  unquenchable  fire,  all  centering  in 
one  point,  that  of  absolute  and  full  purification; 
he  weutone  step  further;  he  dipped  great  num- 
bers of  them  so  totally  into  the  water,  that  if 
they  would  understand  any  thing  by  it  of  the 
nature  and  extent  of  Christ's  baptism,  they  could 
scarcely  understand  any  thing  short  of  what 
was  typically  intended  by  it.  And  having  thus 
powerfully  prepared  the  way  of  the  Lord,  by 
preparing  the  people  to  receive  him  in  the  ad« 
ministration  of  that  baptism  which  saves  the 
soul  from  sin,  it  was  now  time  for  the  Lord  him- 
self to  be  baptized,  in  that  very  figure  by  which 
his  baptism  was  thus  strikingly  represented;  not 
to  perpetuate  it,  and  induce  the  people  to  think 
more  highly  of  it;  but  quite  on  the  contrary,  so 
far  to  fulfil  it,  as  to  make  way  for  that  repre- 
sented by  it.  For  those  outward  observances  by 
which  the  substance  was  represented  (as  the 
figure  of  a  man  represents  the  man  it  is  iUe figure 
of,)  were  none  of  them  any  more  the  substance 
itself,  than  the  figure  of  a  man  is  the  man. 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  25 

Some  are  very  fond  of  the  mere  picture,  the 
lifeless  figure  of  their  dearest  friends,  in  their 
absence;  but  few  are  so  weak  as  to  pay  much 
regard  to  the  picture ;  when  they  are  in  actual 
enjoyment  of  the  presence,  the  endearing  com- 
pany, and  sweet  conversation  of  their  friends* 
Water  baptism  is  not  a  whit  more  the  baptism 
of  Christy  than  the  figure  of  a  man  is  the  man. 
And  they  who  are  now  baptized  therewith,  and 
eat  and  drink  outward  bread  and  wine,  in  re- 
membrance of  Christ,  have,  in  these  perform- 
ances abstractedly .  no  more  of  the  real  baptism 
and  supper  of  the  Lord,  than  a  man  may  have  of 
his  friend,  in  the  picture  of  him.  I  say  not  that 
a  man  cannot  use  these  things,  and  at  the  same 
time  enjoy  something  of  the  substance  signified 
by  them-.  A  man  may  enjoy  something  of  the 
real  and  delightful  presence  of  his  friend,  and 
yet  have  his  picture  in  the  room,  and  sometimes 
look  at  it;  but  whenever  his  attention  is  fixed 
closely  upon  the  picture,  it  is  infallibly  diverted 
in  the  same  proportion  from  h\s  friend,  though 
then  alive  and  present.  And  so  it  is  in  these 
figurative  obse?vaf  :ons.  In  proportion  as  they 
are  objects  of  attention,  the  mind  is  diverted 
from,  or  stops  short  of  the  thing  signified.  And 
hence  I  think  it  generally  hHas  good,  ihat  those 
who  are  very  tenacious  of  rhem,  most  zealous  in 
their  use,  urge  them  the  most  pressingly  on 
others,  and  most  liberally  censure  and  condemn 
those,  who,  believing  them  to  be  no  gospel  ordi- 
nances, conscientiously  decline  rhem;  are  less 
livingly  sensible  of  the  life  and  substance,  than 
some  others,  who  though  they  also  use  them,  are 
far  less  built  up  in  and  tenacious  of  them.  At  the 


5?6  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

very  best,  they  are  but  shadows  of  the  good 
things.  "  If  thine  eye  be  Bingle"  (to  the  light  of 
Christ)  "  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  light." 
See  Mat.  vi.  22.  Only  keep  thine  eye  single,  and 
fixed  upon  the  outward  sun,  and  the  shadow 
will  be  behind  thee,  and  out  of  thy  fight.  Turn 
about,  and  fix  thine  e}e  full  on  the  shadow,  and 
then  the  sun  will  be  behind  thee;  and  whilst 
thou  art  fixed  in  attention  to  the  shadow,  thou 
wilt  see  little  or  nothing  of  the  face  of  the  sun. 
Thus  some  who  begin  in  the  Spirit,  turn  about, 
and  seek  to  be  made  perfect  in  the  flesh,  or  in 
outward  ordinances.  But  granting  thy  attention 
not  singly  to  the  shadow,  vet  try  it  a  thousand 
ways,  and  thou  shalt  never  be  able  to  pay  either 
less  or  more  attention  thereto;  but  thou  wilt  be 
obliged  to  have  thy  attention  proportionally  less 
to  the  sun,  than  it  would  be,  wert  thou  equally 
attentive,  and  that  attention  singly  directed  to 
the  sun.  In  like  manner,  the  man  whose  eye  is 
single  to  the  divine  light  of  Jesus  in  his  own 
heart,  and  whose  attention  is  steadily  to  the 
work  of  his  baptism  there,  has  as  much  more 
true  and  substantial  experience  of  the  blessed 
and  saving  operation  and  effects  thereof,  than 
the  man,  who,  equally  attentive,  sutlers  his  at- 
tention to  be  divided,  and  partly  diverted  to  the 
outward  figures;  as  a  man  in  close  and  single 
attention  to  the  sun,  has  more  of  its  light,  and 
sees  more  of  its  real  brightness  and  glory,  than 
he  who  observes  an  equal  attention  on  the  whole, 
but  suffers  it  to  be  divided  between  the  sun  and 
the  shadow.  And  this  I  take  to  be  the  very 
ground  and  reason  of  our  Lord's  faithful  fulfil- 
ment  of  all  such  figurative  righteousness,  that 


-     A    GOSPEL   OHDINANCE.  §7 

so  his  servants  w', ght  presa  forward  to  the  sub- 
stance signified,  and  figured  out  thereby.  Paul 
told  the  Galatians,  "  it  ve  he circuhicfeed,  Christ 
shall  profit  you  liothing,"  Gal.  v.  2.  This  must 
amount  to  thus  much  at  least,  that  in  proportion 
as  they  relied  on,  or  were  taken  up  will  atten- 
tion to  that  outward  performance,  they  were 
diverted  from  Christ— and  this  is  just  ys  true  of 
water  baptism,  and  every  other  our  ward  sym- 
bol. I  suppose  many  may  readily  drink  it  down, 
that  so  certainly  as  a  man  is  outwardly  circum- 
cised, he  can  have  no  benefit  at  all  from  Christ, 
who  yet  think  outward  baptism  an  ordinance  of 
his  gospel:  but  what  sound  reason  can  be  given, 
why  one  outward  ordinance,  once  absolutely 
commanded  of  God,  but  now  ceased  in  point  of 
obligation,  to  give  place  to  the  substance  once 
signified  by  it,  should  so  much  more  effectually 
prevent  our  being  profited  by  Christ,  than  <m- 
other  outward  ordinance,  in  like  manner  once 
commanded  of  God,  but  long  since  as  fully 
ceased  in  point  of  obligation,  and  for  the  same 
reason,  to  give  place  to  the  substance  ? 

The  truth  is,  every  outward  observation  what- 
ever, so  far  as  it  diverts  the  mind  from  inward 
attention  to  the  work  of  Christ,  so  far  it  prevents 
effectually  our  being  profited  by  him.  And  I 
am  sorry  to  perceive  such  numbers  of  professing 
Christians  striving  so  hard,  as  I  think  they  do, 
to  make  these  things  serve  as  a  substitute  for 
that  which  is  saving.  They  evidently  substitute 
icaler  baptism  instead  ol  Christ's;  for  they  do 
not  scruple  to  call  it  the  one  baptism  of  the  gos- 
pel. They  expressly  maintain  it  to  be  Christ's-, 


58  THE    BAPTTSM    OF   CHRIST 

and  apply  to  it  many  texts  which  evidently 
speak  of  far  deeper  matters;  as  baptism  into 
Christy  into  his  death,  &c.  and  that  which  speaks 
of  the  baptism  which  now  saves  us,  although  the 
text  itself  declares  it  is  ?wt  the  putting  away 
the  filth  of  the  flesh  (the  proper  work  of  water) 
yet  they  insist' it  is  water;  and  so  make  it  out, 
if  they  substantially  make  out  any  thing  by  it, 
that  a  figure  saves  us.  Let  none  therefore  mar- 
vel that  Christ  was  so  careful  to  be  baptized  in 
water,  in  order  to  fulfil  it,  before  he  would  go 
forth  publicly  into  that  work,  wherein  he  was 
to  be  the  baptizer  of  souls  to  salvation;  for  since 
we  find  that  even  his  so  doing  is  laid  hold  of,  in 
direct  contradiction  to  the  whole  scope  and  de- 
sign of  it,  and  urged  as  a  proof  of  its  continu- 
ance, how  much  greater  would  have  been  the 
influence  of  his  example,  towards  continuing  a 
figure  in  preference  to  the  substance,  had  he  first 
published  his  own  everlasting  gospel  and  bap- 
tism, and  after  that  been  baptized  himself  in 
water,  and  so  baptized  others?  But  as  it  seems 
he  intended  not  to  baptize  others  in  water, 
doubtless  to  guard  against  the  force  of  example; 
so  neither  would  he  be  so  baptized  himself,  after 
he  had  once  begai;  his  own  public  and  soul-bap- 
tizing ministry;  but  very  carefully  did  what  he 
had  to  do  in  outward  fulfilment  of  that  type, 
both  before  he  began  his  said  ministry,  and 
before  he  had  gathered  any  disciples,  yet  so  as  to 
be  after  the  rest  of  the  people  in  those  parts  of 
the  country  had  been  baptized  ;  for  it  would  not 
have  seemed  so  proper  for  him  to  submit  to  an 
ordinance  that  v/ as  figurative  of  his  own  baptism, 
for  the  special  purpose  of  fulfilling  it,  before  its 


A  GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  29 

administrator  had,  for  some  little  time  at  least, 
practised  it:  but  now,  John  having  baptized 
many,  and  raised  their  hopes  of  a  more  spiritual 
and  soul-saving  baptism,  or,  as  Luke  has  it, 
"  when  all  the  people"  (meaning  doubtless 
there  about  Jordan)  "  were  baptized,  it  came 
to  pass  that  Jesus  also,  being  baptized,"  &c.  and 
we  do  not  read  of  John's  ever  baptizing  another 
person  there  afterwards. 

Now  therefore,  as  already  evinced,  was  the 
suitable  time  for  Jesus  to  be  baptized.  And 
though  this  was  done,  as  before  urged,  not  to 
perpetuate  that  sign,  but  expressly  to  fulfil  it, 
that  so  all  that  kind  of  ceremonial  righteousness 
might  be  fulfilled,  and  not  a  jot  or  tittle  of  it 
pass  any  otherwise  away :  yet  this  hindered  not 
the  propriety  of  John's  continuing  his  preach- 
ing and  service  in  that  sign,  in  other  places,  a 
while  longer,  in  order  to  Christ's  manilestation, 
and  the  preparation  of  his  way  before  him,  there 
also,  until  nearly  the  time  that  Christ  began  to 
publish  the  word  openly  in  and  from  Galilee: 
though  before  Christ  would  do  this,  John  had, 
as  already  proved,  finished  his  course  in  that  figu- 
rative dispensation,  and  our  Lord  had  particu- 
larly heard  of  his  imprisonment.  After  which, 
going  into  Galilee,  he  soon  entered  upon  the 
publication  of  that  spiritually  baptizing  word, 
and  gospel  ministration,  which,  as  before  ob- 
served, began  from  thence,  after  the  baptism 
which  John  preached,  in  the  figure. 

When  John  proclaimed,  "  behold    the   lamb 
of  God,"  two  of  John's  own   disciples  immedi- 
D 


30  THE    BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

ately  "  followed  Jesus,"  John  i.  36,  37,  as  did 
several  others  soon  after;  for  John's  preaching, 
&c.  had  now  in  good  degree  prepared  their  minds 
to  follow  him,  as  soon  as  they  knew  him.  But 
the  disciples  of  John  do  not  appear  to  have  gone 
from  him  to  Jesus,  as  from  one  outward  bapti- 
zer  to  another.  We  have  no  account  of  their 
receiving  baptism  in  water,  after  they  became 
followers  of  Jtsus.  As  that  was  not  his,  but 
John's,  there  was  no  need  of  repeating  it  upon 
those  who  had  been  John's  disciples.  But  had 
that  of  water  been  Christ's,  and  yet  distinct  from 
John's,  they  would  doubtless  have  received  it.— ^ 
John's  preaching  and  baptism  in  water  do  not 
appear  to  have  prepared  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
by  preparing  people  for  a  second  baptism  in  wa- 
ter ;  but  by  preparing  them  for  that  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  purifying  fire.  For  this  were  some 
hearts  at  least,  if  not  many,  now  prepared. 

Now  therefore  cometh  Jesus  to  be  baptized  of 
John  in  Jordan  ;  for  it  was  now  time  those  knew 
him,  who  were  thus  prepared  for  him,  that  they 
might  receive  him.  His  thus  coming  to  John, 
and  being  first  baptized  in  the  type,  and  then  in 
the  Antitype,  the  Holy  Ghost  from  heaven,  con- 
firmed John's  knowledge  of  him,  and  gave  a  fair 
occasion  for  him  to  point  him  out,  and  proclaim 
him  as  the  baptizer  and  Saviour  of  souls  to  the 
people  ;  thus  opening  their  way  to  advance  from 
the  sign  to  the  substance;  from  the  decreasing 
ministration  of  himself,  the  servant  and  fore- 
runner, to  the  increasing  one  of  the  Son  and  Sa- 
viour. John  could  not  with  full  confidence  point 
him  out  to  them,  till  he  knew  him.    That  could 


A    GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  31 

not  in  proper  season  and  succession  take  place,  by 
lohich  he  certainly  knew  him  to  be  the  great  gos- 
pel baptizer,  till  he  had  first  baptized  him  in  the 
figure,  seeing  the  figures  are  the  shadoics  of  good 
things  to  come  after  them.  Had  Jesus  received 
water  baptism  much  sooner,  it  had  been  out  of 
season,  and  before  his  way  was  prepared  by  his 
forerunner.  Had  he  deferred  it  much  longer, 
it  had  deferred  their  knowledge  and  reception  of 
him,  whose  hearts  were??oic  prepared  foi  him.—- ■ 
And,  moreover,  had  he  deferred  it  till  John  was 
cast  into  prison,  whence  he  never  came  out,  he 
could  not  have  pubiicly  received  it  by  John ;  by 
which  reception  of  it  from  him,  and  thus  rightly 
timed,  he  at  once  confirmed  it,  as  having  been 
a  sign  of  his  own  ;  fulfilled  it,  as  of  no  real  use 
where  his  own  is  livingly  known  ;  and  gave  John 
fair  opportunity  clearly  to  know  him,  ond  pro- 
claim him  the  lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away 
the  sins  of  the  world. 
i 
Thus  John  testified  of  him  in  due  time,  agree- 
ably  to  Paul's  expression,  I  Tim.  ii.  6,  "  who 
gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all,  to  be  tedfied  in 
due  time.'*  Having  seen  that  Christ's  baptism 
in  tue  figure  could  be  only  suffered;  seeing  the 
figures  precede,  point  to,  but  belong  not  to  the 
gospel,  and  that  now,  before  the  figurative  dis- 
pensation was  abolished,  was  the  only  proper 
and  acceptable  time  for  it.  Let  us  observe,  who 
were  the  only  proper  persons  to  fulfil  that  one 
peculiar  sign  and  figure  of  saving  baptism 
"  suffer  it  to  be  so  now,  for  thus  it  becometh  us." 
John,  as  the  ordained  administrator  of  water 
baptism,  and  as  such,  and   peculiarly  therein, 


32  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

the  forerunner  of  Christ,  and  Christ,  as  the  e?id 
and  ender  of  all  types  and  shadows,  were  the 
identical  persons  to  unite  in  fulfilling  this  de- 
creasing and  terminating  dispensation.  Hence 
the  divine  propriety  of  the  word  us  :  "  thus  it 
becometh  us.''  But  what  to  do?  not  establish 
and  perpetuate  the  old  Mosaic  institutions,  in  a 
round  of  signs  and  ceremonies,  nor  any  other 
new  ur  somewhat  varied  observations  in  things 
outward  and  symbolical;  for  all  these  are  but 
rudiments,  and  equally  weak  and  unappertain- 
ing  to  the  pure  gospel  state.  What  then  ?  why, 
the  exact  reverse  of  all  this.  '•  It  becometh  us 
to  fulfil;1  fulfil  what?''  all  righteousness."— 
None  of  the  great  and  solemn  ordinances  of  God 
were  so  outward  as  to  be  unworthy  of  fulfilment. 
All  pointed  to  Christ,  and  to  his  work  and  king. 
dom  ;  but  this  of  water  baptism,  as  now  used  by 
John,  and  by  him  repeatedly  contrasted  with 
Christ's,  or  the  two  placed  by  him  very  point- 
edly, as  type  and  antitype,  required  our  Lord's 
special  notice  and  fulfilment,  previously  to  his 
own  public  gospel  ministration.  And  though, 
as  then  used,  it  was  introduced  the  last  in  course 
of  the  great  shadows  peculiarly  representative  of 
Christ's  great  work  in  men;  yet  was  it  almost, 
if  not  quite,  the  first  specially  fuljilled  by  him. 

John's  ministration  in  the  shadow,  began  too 
near  the  meridian  splendor  of  Christ,  the  gos- 
pel sun,  to  have  any  long  continuance  previous 
to  his  glorious  manifestation  to  Israel. — Even 
outwardly,  as  the  sun  advances  nearer  to  its  me- 
ridian altitude,  the  length  of  the  shadow  de- 
creases.   And  right  under  the  sun's  full  blaze, 


A    GOSPEL- ORDINANCE.  S3 

the  sun  being  in  its  zenith  point,  shining  on  all 
sides  equally,  the  shadow  vanishes,  or  at  least- 
is  under  foot.  And  I  believe  it  has  inwardly, 
even  in  respect  of  baptism,  vanished  quite  out 
of  estimation  and  notice  in  the  minds  of  some: 
as  the  spiritual  sun  has  gradually  arisen  upon 
them ;  and  who  yet  have  afterwards,  through 
the  neglect  of  a  single  eye  to  the  light,  gradu- 
ally receded  therefrom,  till  (as  in  the  afternoon 
outwardly)  towards  night,  in  proportion  as  the 
sun's  warming  and  enlivening  influence  is  less- 
ened, the  length  and  unsubstantial  importance 
of  the  empty  shadow  has  greatly  increased  with 
them— they  have  eagerly  grasped  at  the  shadow, 
which  in  itself  is  nothing  but  a  likeness  of  the 
substance.— We  all  know  a  shadow  outwardly  is 
nothing — and  in  spirituals  also  this  is  so  strictly 
true,  that  Paul  says,  "  circumcision  is  nothing, 
and  uncircumcision  is  nothing"  1  Cor.  vii.  19; 
and  it  holds  equally  in  outward  baptism,  and  the 
supper.— If  one  shadow  were  any  thing  in  the 
gospel,  another  might  as  well  be  something.— 
Circumcision  would  be  as  much  something  as 
baptism.— The  gospel  excludes  them  all. 

Let  not  therefore  him  who  is  outwardly  bap- 
tized, suppose  he  has  therein  something  that  be- 
longs to  the  gospel ;  neither  let  him  who  rejects 
it,  either  Quaker  or  other,  think  he  therefore 
has  something;  for  oulward  baptism  is  nothing 
evangelical,  and  the  mere  rejection  of  it  is  no» 
thing.—"  The  new  creature,  the  living  faith  of 
the  operation  of  God,  working  by  love,  hall  in 
all,  is  the  very  substance  of  things  hoped  for, 
u  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen/'  Heb.  xi.  1. 
D  2 


34  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

Thus  necessary  was  it  for  all  these  old  things  to 
pass  away,  be  shaken  and  fulfilled,  that  the  new 
and  Jiving  substance,  which  cannot  be  shaken, 
may  remain.— And  as  John  was  the  forerunner 
of  Christ,  and  the  administrator  of  water  bap- 
tism, it  belonged  to  him  and  Jesus;  they  were 
the  us,  to  whose  allotment  it  properly  fell  to  ful- 
fil it.— Christ  had  the  typical  righteousness  of 
divers  other  figures  to  fulfil;  hence,  afterwards 
he  celebrated  the  passover,  and  plainly  pointed 
his  disciples  to  the  antitype  of  it.  They  must 
eat  his  flesh,  and  drink  his  blood,  or  have  no 
life  in  them.  And  this  he  assures  them  is  spi- 
ritual, "  it  is  the  spirit  that  quickeneth,  the  flesh 
profiteth  nothing,"  John  vi.  63.  And  even 
John's  work,  in  fulfilling  these  things,  was  not 
wholly  confined  to  the  outward  baptism  of  our 
Lord.  His  constant  testimony  that  his  baptism 
was  but  with  water,  as  he  administered  it  to 
others,  his  lively  and  contradistinguishing  de- 
scription of  Christ's,  as  that  which  effects  entire 
sanclification,  and  burns  up  all  the  chaff  (not 
only  sin,  but  figurative  ceremonial  observations: 
for  these  are  as  chaff  to  the  wheat,  and  as  trees 
that  bring  not  forth  any  real  good  fruits  of  the 
gospel)  tended  much  to  exalt  the  substance 
above  all  signs  in  the  minds  of  the  people.  And 
when  once  the  substance  is  in  due  estimation,  and 
properly  exalted  over  all  in  our  minds,  under 
the  gospel,  the  sign  immediately  loses  its  im- 
portance, and  Christ  becomes  all  in  all  to  us. 

But  John  not  only  divers  times  repeats  the  im- 
portant distinction  between  baptism  ivith  water, 
and  that  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  holds  to  view 


A    GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  35 

the  comparative  inefficacy,  and  decreasing  na- 
ture and  design  of  the  owe,  and  the  excellency, 
all-sufficiency  and  increasing  nature  of  the  other  : 
he  degrades  all  claims  of  the  most  exact  and  te- 
nacious adherents  of  ceremonial  institutions, 
without  the  heart-purifying  work  of  the  Lord. 

Even  the  zealous  Pharisees,  notwithstanding 
all  they  could  boast  of  relationship  to  Abraham, 
either  by  blood,  by  circumcision,  or  the  most 
strict  and  scrupulous  outward  observance  of  the 
whole  law  of  commandments,  contained  in  (the 
shadowy)  ordinances,  he  upbraids  as  a  genera* 
tion  of  vipers;  and  plainly  intimates  to  them, 
that  the  true  seed  of  Abraham  are  they  in  whom 
the  axe,  the  fan  and  the^re  of  the  gospel  make 
thorough  work ;  and  that  in  this  way  God  is  able 
to  raise  up  children  in  the  true  and  living  faith 
of  faithful  Abraham,  of  such  whose  hearts  were 
as  stones.  There  might  be  such  then  present, 
whose  disregard  to  those  things,  wherein  lay  near- 
ly all  the  religion  of  too  many  of  the  Pharisees, 
was  such  as  to  render  them  extremely  obnoxious 
and  contemptible  in  their  view,  and  who  yet 
were  more  easy  to  be  brought  in  love  with  Hie 
essentials  of  true  religion  than  they;  though 
they,  in  the  fury  of  their  zeal  against  these, 
might  strikingly  exhibit  the  viper  in  spirit.  I 
believe  the  inward  feelings  and  outward  de- 
portment of  many,  who  have  considerable  zeal  in 
exteriors,  are  the  very  reverse  of  this,  in  meek- 
ness, gentleness  and  love.  May  they  experience 
a  blessed  increase  herein ;  and  may  all  ranks  and 
denominations  of  Christians,  beholding  the  ex- 
cellency hereof,  and  its  vast  importance,  in  pre- 


36  THE   BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

ference  to  all  party  attachments,  and  zeal  for  or 
against  ceremonials,  more  and  more  press  after 
it  and  into  it  themselves,  and  cherish  and  pro- 
mote it  in  each  other. 

I  doubt  not  many  of  the  Pharisees  were  zeal- 
ously observant  of  the  Mosaic  institutions,  be- 
cause they  verily  believed  it  was  God's  will 
they  should  be  so  (as  doubtless  it  was  in  a  right 
way  and  disposition.)  1  doubt  not  but  some  of 
these  were  moral,  goodly  sort  of  men,  as  to 
outward  regularity,  uprightness  and  honest 
dealing,  and  here  they  rested,  well  satisfied, 
and  despised  the  less  observant  and  less  regular. 
But  here  resting  (even  though  they  might  be, 
as  touching  every  thing  merely  ceremonial,  or 
even  merely  moral,  pretty  blameless)  they  were 
and  must  be  far  short  of  that,  which  in  every 
age  of  the  world  has  been  the  true  righteous- 
ness, riches  and  salvation  of  souls.  These,  as 
well  as  the  more  impure  and  grossly  polluted 
within,  John  wanted  to  alarm,  and  shake  from 
their  false  rest,  and  fig-leaf  covering  ;  that  they 
might  come  to  know  the  pure  and  living  right- 
eousness of  faith,  that  works  by  love,  purifies 
the  heart,  gives  victory,  removes  mountains, 
and  is  the  substance,  being  of  the  operation  of 
God  in  the  heart ;  not  a  mere  assent  to  certain 
well-established  facts,  nor  yet  merely  a  full  and 
firm  persuasion  of  their  truth  and  certainty  ; 
but  a  real  and  living  hold  on  Christ  the  life,  in 
inward  union  with  him;  by  a  deep  and  power- 
ful working  of  the  holy  principle  of  light  and 
life  in  the  soul.  This  is  that  righteousness  which 
exceeds  that  of  the  ScTibes  and  Pharisees,  and 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  37 

without  which  Christ  says  we  cannot  enter  into 
the  heavenly  kingdom.  See  Mat.  v.  20.  This, 
in  fulness  established,  supercedes  all  signs  and 
shadows.  Hence  John,  by  rejection  of  the  Pha- 
risaical dependence  on  descent  from  Abraham, 
&c-  was  preparing  his  way,  who  coming  after 
him,  had  much  of  this  nature  to  do,  among  the 
superstitious  and  bigotted  people;  who,  as  he 
rightly  testified,  had  they  been  truly  the  chil- 
dren of  Abraham,  would  have  done  the  works 
of  Abraham ;  but  not  being  truly  his  seed,  in 
the  heavenly  birth,  and  holy  principles  of  life 
and  immortality,  wherein  the  joint  heirship 
with  Christ  ever  consisted,  they  were  foolishly, 
though  zealously,  endeavouring  to  climb  up 
some  other  way;  by  outward  performances,  and 
exact  observation  of  ordinances;  a  kind  of  right- 
eousness which  never  gaveadmittance,  or  brought 
into  the  kingdom.  And  as  men  have  ever  been 
prone  to  stop  short  in  these,  and  rely  more  or 
less  upon  them,  as  things  of  substantial  benefit 
in  themselves;  God  was  pleased,  in  the  fulness 
of  time,  to  send  his  son,  made  of  a  woman, 
made  under  the  law,  and  purposely  brought 
under  the  observance  of  these  things,  for  their 
fulfilment,  in  order  expressly  to  hlot  out,  re- 
move and  take  out  of  the  way  ;  *hat  a  more  sin- 
gle attention  might  take  place  to  the  writing  of 
the  law  in  the  heart;  the  very  life,  sum  and 
substance  of  the  new  covenant.  See  Jer.  xxxi. 
33.  John's  preaching  tended  directly  to  prepare 
for  and  introduce  an  increasing  attention  to  these 
great  things  within,  and  thus  powerfully  con- 
tributed to  promote  that  living  acquaintance 
with,  and  single  dependence  on  the  substance, 


38  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

which  is  the  only  thing  that  ever  rightly  qualifies 
the  mind  to  see  beyond,  and  thoroughly,  under- 
standing^, and  profitably  renounces  and  relin- 
quishes the  sign.  This  was  fulfilling  his  com- 
mission, preparing  the  way  of  the  Lord,  point- 
ing out,  declaring  and  promoting  the  decrease 
of  all  figurative  righteousness,  including  even 
that  of  his  own  baptism;  and  assisting  in  the 
fulfilment  thereof,  in  order  to  the  increase,  es- 
tablishment and  general  prevalency  of  that 
which  was  before  all  signs,  and  remains  to  the 
faithful,  the  sum  mum  bonum,  the  one  good 
thing  needful,  the  life  and  substance  of  all  true 
religion.    ' 


A.   GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  39 


CHAPTER  II. 


John's  baptism  still  in  use  after  Christ  was  baptized,  and 
on  what  grounds.  Why  John  must  decrease.  Why 
the  least  in  the  kingdom  is  greater  than  he.  Water 
baptism  never  a  gospel  ordinance,  any  more  than  burnt 
offerings,  circumcision,  &c.  Christ's  transfiguration 
clearly  shows  all  these  done  away  together,  and  water 
baptism  as  much  as  any  of  them,  though  afterwards 
sometimes  used  in  condescension,  as  divers  other  figures 
were.  John  seen  in  the  mount  as  Elias.  Peter's  con- 
duct with  Cornelius,  no  perpetuation  of  water;  but 
rather  a  prudent  condescension.  The  full  dispensation 
of  Christ,  is  God  and  man  in  union.  Man  prone  to  im- 
agery. Signs  were  ever  by  indulgence.  A  touch  upon 
the  passover.  Chrst  eating  it  points  to  its  antitype, 
the  inward  feast,  and  communion  of  saints. 


ALTHOUGH  on  very  sufficient  grounds,  as 
already  evinced,  our  blessed  Lord  received  that 
baptism  which  was  figurative  of  his  own,  and  so 
far  as  in  that  manner  behoved  him  fulfilled  it, 
previously  to  his  entrance  on  his  own  public  mi- 
nistration, in  preaching  the  gospel,  yet  for  his 
further  manifestation  to  Israel  in  some  other 
places,  that  watery  sign,  and  the  preaching  ac- 
companying it,  were  afterwards  continued  by 
John,  till  some  little  time  betore  the  blessed 
Jesus  began  his  said  public  ministry  ;  and  the 
disciples  of  Jesus  having  learned  that  baptism 
of  John,  and  understanding  it  was  for  their 
Lord's  manifestation  to  Israel,  they  also  practi- 
sed it,  and  doubtless  with  a  view  and  desire  of 


40  THE   BAPTISM  OF    CHRIST 

his  more  extensive  and  speedy  manifestation 
among  the  people  ;  though  we  have  no  account 
that  Christ  ever  at  all  encouraged  them  therein, 
but  an  express  assurance  that  he  "  himself  bap- 
tized not,"  John  iv.  9.  Perhaps  he  might  have 
no  objection  (as  ceremonials  were  yet  in  use,  as 
a  school-master  leading  to  himself,  the  life  and 
substance,  the  pure  gospel  state  not  generally 
commencing  till  after  his  resurrection)  to  their 
baptizing  others,  as  John  had  them,  in  the 
figure  :  well  knowing  that  occasion  might  there- 
by be  taken  to  turn  the  mind  profitably  from 
that  likeness  of  entire  cleansing,  to  the  neces- 
sity of  the  thing  itself,  his  own  saving  baptism  ; 
and  which  seems  to  have  been  the  very  design 
of  water  baptism,  as  used  by  John.  No  other 
need  of  it  seems  ever  to  have  existed  ;  and  no 
other  end  seems  to  have  been  aimed  at,  by  the 
divine  wisdom,  in  sending  John  baptizing  in 
that  manner.  It  was  to  that  end  well  adapted, 
and  to  that  only.— And  that  John  knew  this, 
seems  evident  by  his  declaring  that  baptism  was 
for  Christ's  manifestation,  by  his  so  constantly 
pointing  from  it  to  its  *  antitype,  the  baptism 
that  saves  the  soul;  and  by  his  acknowledg- 
ment that  himself  must  decrease,  and  Christ  w- 
crease.  Had  John  been  the  administrator  of  a 
gospel  ordinance,  and  therein  abode  faithful,  he 
might,  instead  of  decreasing,  have  increased 
therein  ,  but  being  the  administrator  of  -afigura*. 
tive  ordinance,  in  its  very  nature,  end  and  de- 

*  The  word  in  the  common  translation  rendered  jigure, 
i  Pet.  lii.  21 ;  speaking  of  the  baptism  which  now  saves  us 
is  antitypon  ;  and  surely  it  is  the  antitype,  and  not  the 
type  of  figure,  that  is  saving. 


A  GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  4t 

&)gn,  decreasing;  he  as  its  administrator,  must 
decrease  :  for  though  as  great  a  Prophet  as  any 
bom  of  woman,  yea,  as  Christ  declares,  "  much 
more  than  a  Prophet,"  the   immediate  forerun- 
ner and    preparer  of  the   way  of  the  Lord  ;  yet 
truly,  as  the  Lord  himself  further  asserts,  Mat. 
xi.  2,  V  he  that  is  least  in  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven,  is  greater  than   he;"  that  is,  greater  than 
John,  as  John  the  Baptist:  for  it  is  expressly  as 
John  the  Baptist,  that  Christ  says  this  of  him; 
and  in  this  sense  it  will  forever   hold  true.     For 
though  as  a  saint  and  servant  of  God,  as  a  Pro- 
phet of  the  Most  High,  John  was  great,  yea, 
very  great  in  the   heavenly  kingdom,  "  a  burn- 
ing and  a  shining  light,"  as  Christ   still  further 
testifies,  John  v.  35,    yet  that  gospel  kingdom 
which  John  proclaimed   as  near  at  hand,  and 
prepared    the  way  for,  being   void  of  all  mere 
figurative  ordinances,  and  operating  wherever 
it  cometh  in    its  full  glory   to  their  fulfilment, 
abolition,  out-blotting,  and  entire  removal  out 
of  the  way;  the  least  in  the   pure  spirituality 
thereof,  (having  seen  and  advanced,  beyond  and 
to  the  disuse  and  total  rejection  of  all  such  signs 
and  figures,  as  being  comparatively   mean  and 
beggarly   elements,    of   use  only  till   the  seed 
came,  and   at   best  but   shadows   of  the  good 
things  to  come)  is  and  ever  must  be  in  this  res- 
pect greater  than  John,  as  John  the  Baptist: 
the  administrator  of  one,  though  a  very  signifi- 
cant one,  of  those  figurative  ordinances.     And 
even  though  John  should  sit  higher,  shine  bright- 
er, and  be  far  greater   in  the  kingdom  of  eter- 
nal glory,  than  many  of  these,  yet  as   the  Bap- 
tist, or  baptizer  in  water,  he  was  under  a  dis~ 
E 


49  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

pensation  that  was  vastly  low  in  comparison  of 
that  pure  gospel  state  which  these  little  ones  all 
witness  in  the  new  covenant  dispensation  ;  which 
water  baptism  could  no  more  be  a  part  of,  or 
belong  to,  than  circumcision,  burnt  offerings,  or 
any  other  rituals  of  the  Mosaic  dispensation. 
And  if  Moses,  however  faithful  in  all  his  house, 
as  a  servant,  must  as  to  his  law  of  ceremonials, 
his  dispensation  of  signs  and  shadows,  decrease 
and  give  place  to  the  Son,  surely  so  must  John, 
The  weakness,  outwardness  and  insufficiency, 
on  account  of  which  the  shadows  of  Moses  have 
vanished,  are  as  apparent  in  water  baptism,  as 
in  any  of  these ;  and  it  is  of  as  much  real  ne- 
cessity that  this  be  decreased,  fulfilled  and  cease, 
in  oTder  to  the  true  and  pure  enjoyment  of  its 
antitype,  the  saving  baptism  of  Christ,  as  that 
cicrumciiion,  and  the  divers  washings  and 
offerings  of  the  law  should  cease,  for  the  same 
reason,  or  in  order  to  the  right  enjoyment  of 
their  antitype. 

It  is  rather  mournful  to  see  so  many  religious, 
good  people— people  who  love  God,  and  are  in 
good  degree  enlightened,  entangled  as  it  were 
in  the  bondage  of  outward  and  typical  ordinan- 
ces, in  these  antitypical  gospel  days.  What 
volumes  of  controversy,  and  not  always  in  the 
sweetest  temper  have  been  and  are  written,  and 
from  time  to  time  even  unto  thi>  day  very  zea- 
lously spread,  read  and  rejoiced  in,  which  yet 
contain  little  or  nothing  relative  to  the  life  of 
God  in  the  soul,  the  one  soul-saving,  sanctify- 
ing baptism  of  the  gospel,  or  the  one  soul-sati- 
ating communion  of  saints,  and  supper  of  the 


A  GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  43 

Lord;  but  are  filled  with  learned  or  unlearned 
argumentation,  about  things  as  foreign  to  the 
true  Christain  life  and  dispensation,  as  the  sacri- 
ficing of  bullocks,  rams  and  lambs! 

I  feel  real  tenderness  towards  those  who  are 
not  yet  so  translated  into  the  glorious  liberty  of 
the  sons  of  God,  not  yet  so  enlightened  as  to 
rise  superior  to  their  attachments  to  elementary 
and  figurative  observances;  and  I  wish  not  un- 
necessarily to  hurt  the  feelings  of  one  sincere 
soul.  I  know  some  such  hold  water  baptism, 
and  what  they  call  the  other  sacrament,  in  great 
veneration ;  and  I  do  sincerely  desire  them  not 
to  take  offence  at  my  freely  endeavouring  to 
evince  them  to  belong  not  to  the  gospel.  It  is 
love  in  great  sincerity  that  engages  me  to  shew 
them  that  these  things  stand  exactly  on  a  level 
with  the  long  ceased  ceremonials  of  the  law,  in 
point  of  obligation  under  the  gospel.  It  would 
be  as  strictly  a  gospel  controversy,  were  men 
now  to  write  volume  after  volume  respecting 
the  due  and  precise  manner  of  offering  the  an- 
cient daily  sacrifice ;  as  is  that  about  immersion 
and  sprinkling,  or  that  respecting  the  various 
opinions  and  modes  of  administration  in  what 
is  called  the  Lord's  supper.  Thou  needest  have 
no  more,  O  thou  true-hearted  Christain  travel- 
ler, to  do  with  these,  and  the  former:  it  no 
more  imports  to  thy  real  gospel  duty,  or  thy 
growth  in  the  divine  life,  to  understand  and 
practise  in  the  most  precise  manner,  according 
to  ancient  original  institution  and  usage  in  these, 
than  in  the  others.  Think  of  what  entire  insig- 
nificancy it  is,  to   controvert  points  respecting 


44  THE   BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

the  offering  of  the  lambs,  "one  in  the  morning, 
the  other  at  even,"  as  ordained  of  old  to  be 
done  day  by  day  for  a  continual  burnt  offering, 
Num.  xxviii.  3,  4.  Think  how  unimportant 
to  dispute,  whether  a  fifth  or  a  tenth  part  of  an 
ephah  of  flour,  or  whether  mingled  with  a  third, 
fourth  or  eighth  part  of  a  hin  of  beaten  oil, 
would  now  under  the  gospel  be  the  most  accep- 
table meat  offering  to  the  Lord ;  and  thou  may- 
est  perhaps  perceive  or  obtain  a  true  glimpse  at 
least  of  the  real  insignificancy  to  thy  life  and 
duty,  as  a  Christian,  of  all  the  elaborate  enqui- 
ries and  discussions,  respecting  either  what  is 
the  proper  mode,  or  who  are  the  proper  subjects 
of  either  the  one  or  the  other  of  the  sacraments 
so  called. 

But  seeing  many  pious  souls  are  yet  under  the 
vail  in  these  things,  wishing  to  serve  God,  and 
fearing  to  offend  him  ;  and  s<  eing  it  is  much  for 
the  worldly  interest,  emolument  and  popularity 
of  too  many  who  assume  the  character  and  office 
of  gospel  ministers,  to  keep  them  still  under 
this  vail  and  covering,  and  in  bondage  to  the 
beggarly  elements ;  I  am  willing  to  use  my  en- 
deavours to  evince  yet  more  fully  and  clearly 
the  absolute  cessation  and  dismission  of  signs 
and  symbols,  as  never  having  pertained  to  the 
fulness  of  the  gospel  state  I  think  this  is  clearly 
exhibited  by  our  Lord  at  the  transfiguration; 
and  I  think  it  as  much  includes  John  as  Moses  \ 
as  much  water  baptism  as  circumcision;  and 
as  much  the  passover,  as  burnt  offerings.  In 
short,  it  is  evident  to  my  mind,  that  the  whole 
tendency  and  design  of  the  vision  was  to  shew 


A   GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  45 

the  equal  dismission  of  all  those  shadows  of  the 
good  things  to  come.  And  that  for  this  reason ; 
of  all  the  holy  men  of  old,  all  the  great  types  of 
our  Immanud,  Moses  and  John  in  the  character 
of  Elias  appeared,  on  this  wonderful  occasion, 
with  Christ  and  his  disciples  in  the  mount. 
None  else  would  have  fully  answered  the  design 
of  the  transfiguration.  But  these  two,  represen- 
ting the  complete  body  of  signs  and  ceremonies, 
were  the  identical  persons  to  appear  and  disap- 
pear to  them,  and  in  testimony  of  the  disannul- 
ling of  all  those  foregoing  ordinances,  as  the 
washings,  oblations,  &c.  under  Moses,  were  but 
signs,  and  bur  until  the  full  coming  in  of  the 
dispensation  of  life  «nd  substance:  and  as  the 
baptism  used  by  John  was  also  but  a  sign,  so 
now,  in  exhibiting  the  entire  abolition  of  both, 
our  Loid  in  some  sort  did  it  by  way  of  sign  or 
representation.  And  as  it  requires  some  spiritu* 
al  discernment,  clearly  to  perceive  that  offerings, 
water  baptism,  &c.  never  were  nor  could >  be 
more  than  signs  and  figures,  what  they  were  par- 
ticularly the  signs  and  figures  of,  how  long 
they  were  properly  used,  and  when  utterly  abol- 
ished ;  so  does  it  also  require  some  true  illumina- 
tion from  on  high,  to  read  and  understand  the 
mystery  of  the  transfiguration,  and  to  see  plainly 
that  the  whole  drift  and  design  of  it  was,  to 
teach  us  that  the  gospel,  the  kingdom,  the  bap- 
tism of  Jesus,  are  all  inward  and  spiritual,  the 
antitypical  righteousness,  which  remains,  and 
ever  will  remain  to  the  true  church  ;  though  all 
that  typical  righteousness,  which  Christ  spake 
of  in  his  answer  to  John,  introductory  to  his 
baptism  in  the  figure,  be  fulfilled. 
E2 


4tt>  THE    BAPTISM   OF    CHRIST 

When  God  would  show  Abraham,  Gen.  xv. 
that  his  seed  should  be  a  stranger  in  a  land  not 
theirs,  and  after  four  hundred  years  affliction 
"come  out  with  great  substance,"  he  ordered 
him  to  take  an  heifer,  she  goat,  ram,  turtle  dove, 
and  a  young  pigeon.  Dividing  several  of  these 
in  the  midst,  he  "  laid  each  piece  one  against 
another."  And  when  the  sun  was  going  down, 
a  deep  sleep  fell  upon  Abraham,  and  lo,  "an 
horror  of  great  darkness  fell  upon  him  ;"  and 
further  it  *'  came  to  pass,  that  when  the  sun 
went  down,  and  it  was  dark,  behold  a  smoking 
furnace,  and  a  burning  lamp  that  passed  between 
those  pieces."  A  very  striking  representation 
of  Israel's  iron  furnace  of  affliction  in  Egypt, 
and  the  burning  lamp,  or,  as  the  margin  reads, 
"  a  lamp  of  fire,"  very  beautifully  betokened 
iheir  joyful  deliverance,  when  long  after  the  an- 
gel of  the  lord  led  them  by  a  w  pillar  of  fire" 
from  the  severe  exactions  of  their  hard-hearted 
enemies  and  task-masters.  Thus  dealt  infinite 
wisdom  and  goodness  with  his  favoured  servant, 
good  old  Abraham  ;  by  striking  representations 
shewing  him  things  to  come,  and  divers  other 
Instances  of  somewhat  similar  representations 
might  be  adduced. 

But  passing  them,  we  come  now  to  that  very 
important  owe,  the  transfiguration,  and  to  unfold 
a  little  its  genuine  import  and  meaning,  accord- 
ing to  the  degree  of  understanding  received.  I 
shall  first  endeavor  to  evince,  that  it  was  John 
the  Baptist  who,  with  Moses,  appeared  in  the 
mount,  though  under  the  denomination  and 
character  of  Elias.  It  is  clear  that  John  wasthe 
Slias,  that  is  the  Elijah,  whom  the  Lord  by  the 


A   GOSPEL  ORDINANCE.  47 

Prophet  promised  to  send  to  prepare  the  way  of 
the  Lord,  Mai.  iii.  1,  4,  5,  This  promise  Mark 
recites  expressly  as  fulfilled  in  the  coming  and 
services  of  John,  Mark  i.  2,  "  as  it  is  written  in 
the  Prophets,  behold  I  send  my  messenger  be- 
fore thy  face,  which  shall  prepare  thy  way  be- 
fore thee." 

That  this  was  John,  is  further  evident  by  what 
the  angel  said  to  John's  father,  good  old  Zacha- 
rias,  Luke  i.  16\  17,  M  many  of  the  children  of 
Israel  shall  be  turned  to  the  Lord  their  God— 
and  he  shall  go  before  him  in  the  spirit  and  pow- 
er of  Elias,"  &c.  Indeed  Christ's  own  words 
are  full  to  the  purpose;  lie  positively  declares, 
Mat.  xi.  i4,  "  if  ye  will  receive  it,  this  is  Elias, 
which  was  for  to  come ;"  but  as  he  did  not  mean 
that  Elias  was  actually  come  again  in  person, 
but  that  John  was  come  "  in  the  power  and  spi- 
rit of  Elias,"  as  before  mentioned ;  he  adds,  verse 
15,  knowing  how  outward  the  people's  minds 
were,  and  how  spiritually  dull  they  were  of  hear- 
ing, "  he  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear." 
He  doubtless  knew  that  many  could  not  so  hear 
as  to  believe  and  receive  it,  in  its  naked  signifi- 
cation, especially  as  John  had  denied  his  being 
Elias,  These  are  contradictions  to  mere  human 
wisdom ;  the  ear  that  understanding^  hears 
them,  the  Lord  alone  openeth. 

John  spake  truth  from  the  heart ;  for  when 
they  asked  him,  "  what  then,  art  thou  Elias?" 
John  i.  21,  they  were  so  carnal  and  outward  in 
their  apprehensions,  that  doubtless  John  saw 
they  so  little  understood  the  scripture  prophecies 


48  THE    BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

and  promises,  that  they  were  looking  for  the  per- 
sonal coming  of  EHas  from  heaven ;  and  per- 
haps in  a  fiery  chariot,  his  ascension  or  taking  up 
having  been  represented  as  in  a  chariot  of  fire. 
John,  answering  their  question  according  to  their 
sense  in  asking  it,  saith,  "  I  am  not  ;"  thereby 
harmoniously  coinciding  with  Christ's  design  in 
speaking  in  parables  ;  for  Christ  thanked  his  Fa- 
ther that  he  had  "  hid  these  things  from  the  wise 
and  prudent,  and  revealed  them  unto  babes," 
Mat.  xi.  2,  5.  These  babes  are  the  same  with, 
those  who  have  cars  to  hear,  and  Christ  spake  in 
parables  to  concur  with  his  Father  in  hiding  these 
things  from  the  pryings  and  investigations  of 
this  world's  wisdom  and  prudence :  for  when 
"  the  disciples  .came  and  said  unto  him,  why 
speakest  thou  unto  them  in  parables  ?*'  Mat.  xiii. 
10,  "  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  because 
it  is  given  unto  you  to  know  the  mysteries  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  to  them  it  is  not 
given,"  verse  11 ;  and  in  conformity  to  these 
designs  of  Christ  and  the  Father,  to  make  fool- 
ish the  wisdom  of  this  world,  John  answered, 
that  he  was  not  EHas ;  as  truly  he  was  not  in  the 
sense  of  the  question,  and  yet  in  the  sense  of 
heaven  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  he  was  indeed 
Elms,  yea,  the  only  EHas  that  was  sent  in  ful- 
filment of  the  promise,  to  prepare  the  way  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  So  that  had  he  not  come  in  the 
power  and  spirit  of  Elias,  the  promise,  for 
aught  that  appears,  had  utterly  failed. 

This  point,  thus  clearly  established  in  the  szn 
cred  records,  contributes  much  towards  a  right 
understanding  of  the  transfiguration.  The  trans* 


A  GOSPEL   ORDINANCE,  49 

actions  of  this  ever  memorable  and  important 
scene,  I  have  no  doubt,  were  designed  to  unfold, 
as  far  as  those  who  saw  and  heard  them,  or  those 
who  since  read  them,  have  "  ears  to  hear,1'  the 
deep  mystery  of  the  three  dispensations  of  Moses, 
John  and  Jesus— the  entire  passing  away  of  all 
that  was  but  typical  in  the  two  former,  as  things- 
liable  in  their  very  nature  and  in  the  designs  of 
infinite  wisdom  ever  meant  to  be  shaken  and  re- 
moved; that  so  the  latter,  the  dispensation  of 
life  and  substance,  the  pure  spiritual  unshadowy 
gospel  and  kingdom  of  Christ,  as  things  that 
cannot  be  shaken  or  removed,  might  with  greater 
clearness  succeed,  and  remain. 

To  this  purpose,  the  Lord  of  this  glorious  dis- 
pensation, after  testifying  that  some  then  Hand' 
ing  there  should  live  to  see  it— that  is,  should 
"not  taste  of  death  till  they  had  seen  the  king- 
dom of  God  come  with  power,"  Mark  ix.  1.— in 
order  to  prepare  some  of  his  disciples  for  a  more 
extensive  and  clear  discovery  of  its  purely  spi- 
ritual, antitypical  nature  and  glory,  and  to  give 
as  it  were  a  clue  to  the  same  discovery  to  others 
(see  Mat.  xvii.  Mark  ix.  Luke  ix.)  in  that  and 
after  ages,  "taketh  with  him  Peter,  and  James, 
and  John"  (three  eminent  instruments  in  the 
primitive  church)  "and  leadeth  them  up  into  an 
high  mountain,  apart  by  themselves."  This  may 
shew  us,  that  in  order  to  a  clear  reception  of  di- 
vine knowledge,  our  minds  must  both  ascend 
above  and  be  separated  from  the  busy  scenes  of 
of  mere  earthly  joys,  cares  and  associations,  as 
it  were  into  the  mount  of  sequestration,  into  an 
holy  abstraction  of  soul,  where  angels  ascend  and 


50  THE    BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

descend,  and  the  converse  is  at  times  with  God. 
"  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear."  Here 
our  Lord  "  was  transfigured  before  them,  and 
^his  raiment  became  shining,  exceeding  white  as 
snow,  so  as  no  fuller  on  earth  can  white  them. 
And  there  appeared  unto  them  Elias,  with  Mo- 
$esy  and  they  were  talking  with  Jesus.  And  Pe- 
ter answered  and  said  to  Jesus,  Master,  it  is  good 
for  us  to  be  here."  Alas!  too  many  think  it  is 
good  to  retain  the  long  since  fulfilled  and  abro- 
gated symbols  of  good  things,  to  this  very  day  ; 
and  not  content  with,  or  not  enough  acquainted 
with  the  one  true  "  tabernacle  of  God,  that  is 
inwardly  with  men,"  Rev.  xxi.  3,  are  with  Pe- 
ter, for  building  three ;  in  order  to  retain  a  little 
from  the  ceremonies  of  Moses,  as  the  passover 
(which  they  dignify  with  the  name  of  the  Lord's 
supper)  and  a  little  from  John  (here  seen  as  Elias 
in  whose  life,  power  and  spirit,  John  came)  to 
wit,  water  baptism.  So  Peter,  ignorantly  think- 
ing it  good  to  remain  where  all  three  might  have 
place  together,  proposeth,  or  asks  liberty,  as  fol- 
loweth ;  "  let  us  make  three  tabernacles,  one  for 
thee  ,  one  for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elias ;  for  he 
wist  not  what  to  say,"  Mark  ix.  9,  7.  In  very 
deed,  he  wist  not,  or,  according  to  Luke's  ac- 
count, knew  not  ivhat  he  said:  knew  not  that 
this  proposal  struck  directly  against  the  simpli- 
city of  the  gospel,  and  was  contrary  to  the  life 
and  design  of  the  transfiguration. 

He  was  for  buildings  which  belong  not  to  the 
gospel  day  ;  tabernacles  for  those  whose  dispen- 
sations were  but  preparatory  to  that  which  is 
purely  of  Jesu9 :  for  there  was  a  cloud  that  over- 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  51 

shadowed  them.  Oh !  that  it  may  he  seen,  and 
duly  considered,  how  exactly  this  is  the  case 
now,  with  those  who  still  think  it  good  to  remain 
under  the  shadows.  Is  not  the  cloud  still  over 
them?  The  signs  under  Moses  and  John  (here 
Elias)  pointed  men  to  Christ;  but  the  full  dis- 
pensation of  Jesus,  is  nothing  short  of  God  and 
man  in  heavenly  union*  As  then  in  him,  so  now 
in  all  the  seed,  all  his  true  disciples,  there  is  a 
real  joining  and  uniting  of  the  life  of  man  in  and 
with  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul.  "  He  that  is 
joined  to  the  Lord  is  owe  spirit,"  Cor.  vi,  17. 

This  is  livingly  taught  us  in  the  Christ  of  God 
being  truly  both  the  Son  of  God  and  the  Son  of 
man.  Here  all  preceding  dispensations  end;  the 
signs  are  superceded ;  Christ  becomes  our  one 
life  in  the  heavenly  fellowship,  and,  as  Paul  says, 
"  I  live ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me,"  Gal. 
ii.  20.  Here  we  enjoy  thi  true  riches  and  glory 
of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints,  which  is  Christ 
in  us  the  hope  of  glory.  See  Eph.  i.  18,  Col.  i. 
27.— What  can  all  the  shadows,  of  the  good  things 
to  come,  do  for  those  who  possess  and  enjoy  the 
good  things  themselves,  are  led  unto,  live  and  act 
in  the  life  and  substance  pointed  at  by  all  the 
types  and  figures  of  old?  Did  Christians  know 
and  enjoy  this  mystery  in  its  true  fulness  and 
glory,  all  old  things  would  be  done  away;  for 
here  all  things  become  new;  all  things  of  God; 
here  we  are  complete  in  Jesus,  in  whom  the  ful- 
ness dwells;  and  have  no  need  at  all  of  signs  to 
perfect  us  in  our  Christian  duty :  no  need  ot  out- 
ward washing,  being  washed  in  his  blood,  in- 
wardly sprinkled,  to  the  cleansing  of  the  heart; 


&2  THE   BAPTISM    ©B   CHRIS! 

no  need  of  outward  circumcision— pur  circumei* 
sion  and  baptism  are  in  Christ— into  death  with 
him^  putting  off  the  body  of  the  sins  of  the  flesh  : 
no  need  of  eating  bread  and  drinking  wine,  in 
remembrance  of  him,  seeing  he  has  become  out 
life-,  we  enjoy  his  soul-satiating,  his  all-conso- 
lating  presence— he  sups  with  us,  and  we  with 
him — eating  the  bread  of  life,  and  drinking  the 
new  wine  of  salvation  with  us  in  the  heavenly 
kingdom  of  his  Father,  inwardly  and  spiritually 
•—where  all  types  cease  forever — where  the  faith 
which  is  the  very  substance  of  things  hoped  for, 
the  new  creature  in  this  union  of  God  and  man, 
is  all  in  a//,— Here  every  thought  is  "  brought 
into  captivity  to  the  obedience  of  Christ/'  ii  Cor. 
x.  5.  No  mere  outward  obsetvations  can  add 
any  thing  useful  to  this  state;  and  this  is  the 
reason  why  they  must  and  do  here  cease.  The 
reason  why  they  were  once  used  was,  that  men 
were  too  much  alienated  from  the  life  and  sub- 
stance—they were  used  as  outward  pointers  to 
the  inward  life. — When  the  resurrection  of 
Christ  the  life  is  fully  known  in  us,  all  mere  signs 
are,  and  in  the  very  nature  of  things  must  be, 
entirely  superceded.  Till  then,  we  may  be  in 
a  state  of  mixture,  as  many  are  with  their  three 
tabernacles,  one  for  Jesus,  one  for  John,  and  one 
for  Moses  Htnce  the  figurative  dispensation 
was  not  altogether  abolished,  outwardly  till 
Christ's  outward  resurrection ;  this  being  gene- 
rally the  case  in  the  inward.  Those  who  have 
not  known  this  pretty  fully  in  themselves,  are 
tfiostly  some  way  or  other  relying  more  or  less  on 
outward  things;  but  they  whose  life  is  fully  and 
truly  in  him,  who  is  the  resurrection  and  the 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  53 

life,  are  got  beyond  all  improper  reliance  on  any 
thing  but  the  life  of  Jesus  in  them— this  is  the 
plain  reason  why  the  antiypical  baptism,  which 
now  saves  us,  is  by  the  resurrection  of  Christ — 
not  by  washing  in  water  to  put  away  the  filth  of 
the  flesh— for  though  some  of  ;he  translators  use 
the  word  figure  in  a  text  which  speaks  plainly  of 
this  spiritual  baptism,  it  is  not  so  in  the  Greek. 
The  original  word,  as  already  noted,  \santitypon  : 
so  that  the  suvmg  baptism,  there  spoken  of,  and 
which  is  by  the  resurrection}  and  life  oi  Christ,  is 
not  a  figure,  but  the.  very  -an  titype  itself.— Had 
Peter  known  this  at  the  time  of  the  transfigura- 
tion, as  well  as  he  did  when  he  wrote  his  epistles, 
it  is  in  no  wise  probable  that  he  would  have 
thought  the  building  of  tabernacles,  for  the  re- 
tention ot  signs  and  shadows,  a  gospel  labour: 
but  seeing  Peter  was  as  yet  so  far  from  a  clear 
understanding  of  the  nature  and  pure  spi- 
rituality of  the  gospel,  as  to  propose  three 
tabernacles  even  then,  just  when  Christ  was 
specially  opening  the  dismission  of  all  but  one,  that 
is,  "  the  tabernacle  of  God"  that  is  "with  men," 
Rev.  xxi.  3.;  let  none  marvel  that  this  same  Peter 
afterwards  commanded  the  houshold  of  Corne- 
lius to  be  baptized  in  water,  a  thing  in  no  wise 
strange  for  him  to  do,  even  though  it  had  not  been 
done  merely  in  condescension,  as  there  is  much 
reason  ro  believe  it  was.  He  remained  for  some 
time  too  outward  and  limited  in  his  ideas;  he 
did  not  know  that  the  gospel  was  an  universal 
thing,  extending  to  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews— 
so  that  a. wonderful  vision  was  vouchsafed,  to  re- 
move his  scruples,  and  induce  his  visit  to  Corne- 
lius—and when  there,  God  gave  him  words  suit- 
F 


54  THE   BAPTISM  OF   CHRIST 

able  to  the  occasion,  and  which  being  delivered 
in  the  evidence  and  demonstration  of  the  Spirit, 
and  with  divine  power,  were  evidently  instru- 
mental to  their  baptism  (with  the  Holy  Ghost) 
who  heard  him,  even  in  such  a  remarkable  man- 
ner, that  at  his  first  utterance,  as  he  began  to 
speak  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  them. 

This  at  once  struck  Peter,  as  being  an  exact 
*nd  gracious  performance  of  the  promissory 
word  of  the  Lord  Jesus—"  John  indeed  baptized 
with  water,  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the 
Holy  Ghost."  See  Acts  xi.  15,  16.  For  this 
baptism  was  now  so  evidently  dispensed  through 
Peter's  preaching,  that  he  immediately  remem- 
bered this  precious  promise  of  our  blessed  Lord 
-—which  had  been  very  illy  applied  by  him  to  the 
Holy  Ghost  falling  on  them,  had  that  not  been 
strictly  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  in- 
tended by  the  promise— nor  indeed  can  any, 
who  clearly  know  this  baptism,  think  strange  of 
Peter's  recollecting  this  promise,  and  applying 
it  to  what  took  place  at  this  memorable  season  ; 
nor  is  there  any  doubt  with  me  but  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  brought  it  to  his  remembrance,  and  shewed 
him  it  was  now  actually  performed  through  him* 
^e/fasan  instrument;  for  God  had  truly  and  emi- 
nently enabled  him  to  execute,  in  a  very  exact 
and  striking  manner,  the  great  commission  of 
our  Lord.  Mat.  xxviii.  19,  which  was  to  teach 
baptizing ;  not  teach,  and  then  baptize,  as  two 
separate  acts;  but  by  teaching  in  the  power  and 
x  fficacy  received  from  on  high,  they  were  to  bap- 
i'ze  them  into  the  very  name,  that  is,  the  life  and 
power,  of  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost.— 
And  into  this  name,  life  and  power,  Peter  did 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  55 

baptize  them  ;  they  received  it  as  he  spake  unto 
them,  which  exactly  answered  the  commission, 
"  teach  baptizing." 

No  marvel,  then,  that  he  immediately  re- 
membered Christ's  promise,  "  ye  shall  be  bap- 
tized with  the  Holy  Ghost" — seeing  the  bap- 
tismal influences  thereof,  attendant  upon  his 
powerful  preaching,  were  so  livingly  in  fulfil- 
ment thereof.— Nevertheless,  as  water  had  been 
in  great  estimation,  it  seems  Peter  thought  best 
to  condescend  to  the  weakness  of  those  young 
converts,  and  of  his  Jewish  brethren  then  pre- 
sent, as  his  Lord  and  Master  had  again  and  a- 
gain graciously  condescended  iohimm  his  weak- 
ness.-— So  he  commanded  them  to  be  baptized; 
■and  perhaps  he  could  not  have  done  better  in 
their  weak  state,  and  especially  as  none  appeared 
to  forbid  it,  which  it  is  probable  he  might  not 
know  but  some  then  present  might  have  autho- 
rity to  do ;  for  his  mind  began  now  to  be  consi- 
derably enlarged;  he  clearly  perceived  (which 
he  seems  not  to  have  known  before)  that  God 
was  no  respecter  of  persons,  of  Jew  more  than 
Gentile,  &c.  Indeed  the  very  query,  "  can  any 
man  forbid  water?"  &c.  Acts  x.  47,  is  an  appeal 
to  men,  and  bespeaks  a  state  of  hesitation,  or  un- 
certainty. Nor  is  his  hesitancy  at  all  to  be  ad- 
mired at,  things  having  so  wonderfully  altered 
in  his  view  in  a  short  time  past;  and  the  anoint- 
ing of  truth,  that  brings  all  things  to  remem- 
brance, having  just  now  revived  in  his  mind  the 
sweet  and  precious  promise  of  his  dear  Redeem- 
er—*' John  indeed  baptized  with  water,  but  ye 
shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost,"  which 
he  could  not  but  see  and  know  was  then  through 
bim  graciously  taking  place  upon  these  Gen- 


$6  THE   BAPTISM    OF    CHHIST 

tiles;  it  is  by  no  means  strange  that  he  doubted! 
the  propriety  of  baptizing  them  in  water.  It 
had  been  much  stranger,  had  he  not  doubted  it, 
especially  as  water  was  the  very  thing  which  our 
Lord,  in  the  words  now  brought  to  Peter's  re- 
membrance, had  pointedly  opposed  to  his  own 
baptism ;  that,  as  a  thing  which  had  been  ;  his 
own,  as  what  should  be  :  Peter  therefore  plainly 
seeing  the  latter,  might  well  doubt  the  further 
use  of  the.  former,  especially  among  Gentiles,  see- 
ing its  very  design  was  that  Christ  might  be  ma- 
uifest  to  Israel. 

Cornelius  and  his  family  were  not  of  Israel ; 
and  if  they  had  been,  why  continue  the  sign  in 
presence  of  the  substance,  unless  in  condescen- 
sion  to  the  weakness  that  could  not  readily  re- 
linquish it?  It  is  evident  enough  that  Peter  did 
not  think  it  indispensible,  or  he  would  scarcely 
have  put  the  question  at  all.— There  is  very  lit- 
tle room  in  propriety  to  ask  another  whether  that 
can  be  forbidden,  which  we  know  ourselves  we 
are  indispensibly  enjoined  and  commanded.— 
Water  baptism  was  not  at  that  time  in  force; 
yet  Peter  might  rationally  doubt  whether  it 
would  give  satisfaction  to  omit  it,  and  so  might 
cautionsly  put  the  question,  to  ascertain  their 
minds ;  not  really  knowing  but  that  some  one 
present  might  so  livingly  open  its  abolition,  and 
so  satisfy ingly  declare  its  non-essentiality,  that 
all  the  rest  would  have  been  perfectly  satisfied 
with  the  omission  of  it. — But  none  doing  this, 
and  it  being  anew  case,  Peter  it  seems,  desirous 
of  getting  through  safely,  and  without  hurting 
any  tender  mind,  and  knowing  that  his  now  com- 
manding it  done  need  not  perpetuate  it  (nor  does 


A   GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  57 

it,  any  more  than  James'  directing  to  anoint  the 
sick  with  oil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  perpetu- 
ates that)  but  that  after  mature  consideration, 
and  when  the  state  of  things  would  bear  it,  it 
might  be  quite  laid  aside,  did  on  this  occasion 
command  it  to  be  done  ;  and  it  might  really  be 
safest  and  best,  at  that  time,  so  to  do ;  nor  was 
this  and  the  anointing  with  oil  the  only  ceremo- 
nies that  were  still  at  times  condescendingly 
used,  some  time  after  the  abrogation  of  signs 
and  figures,  as  to  any  further  obligation. 

A  well-timed  condescension  to  the  weakness 
of  others,  is  an  excellent  thing— but  let  none 
now  delight  to  dwell  in  the  weakness,  and  there- 
in weakly  consider  the  condescension  exercised 
at  a  time,  wherein  it  was  evidently  a  very  nice 
and  difficult  point  to  know  how  to  proceed  so  as 
to  hurt  no  one,  either  Jew,  or  Greek;  as  esta- 
blishing an  ordinance  of  perpetual  obligation 
under  the  gospel,  that  dispensation  of  life  and 
substance  pointed  to,  by  such  outward  observa- 
tion. For  so  far  is  that  condescension  from  af- 
fording any  just  pretence  for  such  a  conclusion, 
that  we  have  great  reason  to  believe  that  even 
Peter  himself,  soon  after  this,  became  quite  clear 
to  omit  water  baptism  entirely,  as  a  figurative 
thing,  not  belonging  to  the  gospel ;  for  we  do  not 
find  he  ever  afterwards  once  used  or  ordered  it 
administered  to  any :  but,  on  the  contrary,  we 
do  find  he  describes  the  baptism  that  now  saves 
us  as  quite  another  thing,  and  as  being  effected 
by  the  resurrection  of  Christ  the  life,  to  the  an- 
swer of  a  good  conscience.  And  indeed  \tmust 
be  so  ;  for  the  gospel  of  Christ  is,  and  in  its  owe 
F  2 


08  THE   BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

pure  nature  must  be,  void  of  any  mere  outward 
and  figurative  observations— and  to  hold  it  forth 
so,  in  its  genuine  purity,  and  stripped  of  ail  these 
signs  of  both  John  and  Mom;— -we  find  there 
was  a  voice  heard  out  of  the  cloud,  just  after 
Peter's  proposal  to  build  three  tabernacles,  at  the 
time  of  the  transfiguration,  Mat.  xvii.  Mark  ix. 
Luke  ix.  28,  &c.  '*  saying  this  is  my  beloved 
Son,  hear  him"  35.  A  very  timely  admonition 
indeed,  and  sufficient,  one  might  suppose,  to 
prevent  all  who  understand  it  from  wishing  to 
build  three  tabernacles,  or  to  retain  any  of  the 
mere  shadows  of  either  Moses  or  John,  as  cir- 
cumcision, the  passover,  or  water  baptism,  ncw> 
since  they  are  all  ended,  and  Christ  is  to  be 
heard  in  all  things. 

Whilst  the  cloud  overshadowed  them,  they 
were  for  three  tabernacles  (they  knew  not  that 
Moses  and  John  must  not  be  retained)  but  when 
the  divine  voice  brake  through  the  cloud,  they 
had  their  attention  called  singly  to  Jesus.  But 
further,  that  no  confirmation  should  be  wanting, 
and  as  it  were  in  order  to  set  it  home,  and  seal 
it  forever,  that  this  was  the  true  intent  and 
meaning  of  this  glorious  vision,  and  of  the  voice 
from  the  excellent  glory,  we  find  that  immedi- 
ately upon  their  hearing  said  voice,  even  "  sud- 
denly when  they  had  looked  round  about,  they 
saw  no  man  any  more,  save  Jesus  only,  with 
themselves." 

Here  is  the  genuine  simplicity  of  Christ's  spi- 
ritual kingdom,  and  gospel,  beautifully  and  in- 
structively displayed.— Here  those  things  that 
were  of  a  7iature,  and  in  design,  to  be  shaken, 


A    GOSPEL   ORDINANCE,  5P 

fulfilled  and  done  away,  are  removed ;  and  that 
only  which  cannot  be  shaken  remains*  This  is 
shaking  not  the  earth  only,  but  also  heaven  ; 
not  sin,  and  carnality,  and  earthly  mindedness 
alone;  but  here  a  great  part  of  many  people's 
religion,  and  what  they  think  belongs  to  the 
very  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  gospel  of  Jesus,  are 
shaken  and  removed  out  of  the  way;  yea, 
things  once  of  God  himself  ordained,  as  strik- 
ing shadows  of  the  good  things  to  come,  but 
ever  by  him  designed  to  vanish,  in  the  full  pre- 
sence and  enjoyment  of  the  good  things  them- 
selves.  Blessed  are  they  who  "  have  ears  to 
hear,"  and  hearts  to  understand,  and  faith  to 
follow  the  lamb  of  God  wheresoever  he  leadetb, 
even  to  the  loss  of  all  their  own  buildings,  their 
own  righteousness,  and  creaturely  performances, 
till  they  come  to  cease  from  their  own  works,  as 
God  did  from  his. — These  shall  be  established 
as  Mount  Sion,  that  shall  never  be  removed; 
and  being  preserved  from  subjection  to,  or  from 
touching,  tasting  or  handling,  those  outward 
ordinances,  which  consist  in  things  that  perish 
with  the  using,  shall  know  the  Lord  to  be  one, 
and  his  name  one;  and  living  and  serving  the 
one  Lord,  in  the  life,  love  and  victory  of  the 
saints'  one  true  faith,  shall  know  assuredly  that 
there  is  but  one  true  gospel  baptism,  "  not  the 
putting  away  the  filth  of  the  flesh  (or  outward 
body,  which  is  the  work  of  outward  washing) 
but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards 
God,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ."— -For 
these  shall  know  him  to  be  •' the  resurrection 
and  the  life"  to  and  in  their  own  souls :  Christ 
in  them  the  hope  of  glory,  and  shall  have  no 
'ope  or  confidence  in  any  outward  sprinklings  or 


60  THE    BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

dippings,  eatings  or  drinkings,  as  pertaining   to 
the  work  of  salvation. 

The  substantial  "  answer  of  a  good  conscience 
is  not  known  without  the  icsurrection  of  Christ" 
in  the  soul;  but  this  known  in  the  fulness  ever 
makes  "  perfect,  as  pertaining  to  the  conscience ;" 
which  yet  cannot  be  experienced  but  through 
the  putting  off  the  sins  of  the  flesh.  "  For 
though  the  baptism  that  saves,  is  not  the  putting 
away  the  filth  of  the  flesh,"  that  is,  the  outward 
filth  of  the  body;  yet  it  ever  does  put  away  the 
sinful  filth  of  the  fleshly  mind  ;  this  is  the  very 
work  and  design  of  it.  Hence  its  administrator 
has  his  fan  in  his  hand,  to  winnow  the  chaff 
from  the  wheat;  his  soap,  like  the  fuller,  to  wash 
and  cleanse  away  the  filth;  and  his  fire,  like  the 
refiner,  to  separate  the  dross  from  the  gold;  yea, 
purely  to  purge  away  all  the  dross,  tin,  and  even 
reprobate  silver,  and  bum  up  the  chaff  with  un- 
quenchable fire;  thus  cleansing,  and  that  tho* 
roughly,  the  very  floor  of  the  heart — This  is  the 
baptism  that  saves,  the  work  of  him  who  saves 
his  people  from  their  sins,"  not  in  them.  It  is 
therefore  altogether  beside  the  true  meaning  of 
Peter's  words,  "  not  the  putting  away  the  filth 
of  the  flesh,',  to  suppose  he  meant  that  the  sa- 
ving baptism  he  there  spake  of  does  not  cleanse 
from  sin,  or  put  away  our  sinful  filth;  but  that 
it  is  an  outward  ordinance,  which  must  be  sub«- 
mitted  to,  just  to  answer  a  good  conscience  in 
that  particular  respect,  without  any  reliance  up- 
on it  as  to  sanctification  from  sin;  which  con- 
struction I  have  often  known  it  glossed  with,  by 
the  pleaders  for  elementary  baptism. 

But  is  it  not  strange,  that  men  of  sense  should 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE,  §1 

consent  to  believe,  that  the  baptism  which  ?iow 
saveth  us,  doth  not  save  us  from  sin,  doth  not 
put  away  the  sinful  filth  of  the  flesh?  If  Peter 
spake  truth  when  he  said  "  baptism  doth  also 
now  save  us,"  he  must  speak  of  the  one  saving 
baptism.  There  never  was  but  one  thing  that 
could  save:  "  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved 
us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renew- 
ing of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Where  this  is  livingly 
witnessed,  '*  the  resurrection  and  the  life"  of 
Christ  is  always  known,  and  therein  "  the  an- 
swer of  a  good  conscience  towards  God"  takes 
place,  to  a  degree  of  unspeakable  enjoyment;  a 
fulness  of  divine  consolation,  unknown  in  the 
performance  of  mere  outward  ordinances,  and 
never  attained  to  but  by  being  planied  in  the 
likeness  of  Christ's  death,  buried  with  him  by 
true  Christian  baptism  into  the  death  of  sin% 
and  this  death,  by  the  power  of  the  eternal  Spu 
ritj  arising  with  him  in  the  power  of  his  resur- 
rection, and  walking  with  him  in  newness  of  life. 

But  to  return ;  as  those  outward  things  which 
had  been  "  imposed  until  the  time  of  reforma- 
tion," and  were  here  exhibited  in  the  transfigu- 
ration, as  not  belonging  to  the  gospel,  were  not 
absolutely  and  entirely  out  of  date  till  Christ 
had  risen:  he  so  far  condescended  to  their  con- 
tinuance, that  he  did  not  forbid  and  prevent  his 
disciples  baptizing  his  followers  in  water;  for 
this  was  a  performance  at  that  time  in  very 
great  vogue,  and  Christ  well  knew  how  to  deal 
with  a  people  habituated  to  outward  observan- 
ces. It  had  all  along  under  the  law  and  Pro- 
phets, been  found  extremely  difficult  to  restrain 
that  people  from  the  idolatries  of  the  Heathen, 


63  THE   BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

even  though  God  had  so  far  accommodated  him- 
self or  his  law  to  their  outward  state  and  dispo- 
sition, as  to  provide  them  with  many  signs  and 
ceremonies,  "  divers  washings,"  a  wordly  sanc- 
tuary, &c.  Heb.  ix.  I. 

The  mind  of  man  once  turned  to  religious 
exercises,  and  pressing  on  therein,  is  hard  to  be 
properly  restrained,  is  very  prone  to  imagery, 
idolatry,  and  a  great  deal  of  outward  show  and 
activity.  And  from  this  ground  sprung  all  Pa- 
gan idolatry;  all  advances  towards  it  among  the 
Jews;  all  continuations  of  Jewish,  Heathenish, 
or  other  mere  outward  signs  and  shadows  among 
Christians,  and  many  absurd  and  foolish  obser- 
vations among  Turks  and  Mahometans.  Christ 
knew  what  was  in  man,  and  needed  none  "  to 
testify"  unto  him  "  of  man,"  as  appears  by  John 
ii.  25.  And  as  he  had  many  things  to  say  unto 
his  disciples,,  which  they  could  not  at  first  bear 
(see  John  xvi.  12)  he  advanced  them  gradually, 
condescending  to  their  weakness,  and  attachment 
to  things  that  belong  not  to,  and  can  have  no 
place  in  the  pure  spirituality  of  his  kingdom. 
This  amply  accounts  for  his  disciples  continuing 
to  baptize  many  new  disciples,  as  they  came  to 
believe  on  him,  and  follow  him,  even  after  he 
and  John  had  in  great  degree  fulfilled  that  dis- 
pensation; a  dispensation  which  probably  had 
never  been  necessary,  but  for  the  dark  and  un- 
toward state  of  the  people's  minds.  And  iiad 
they  all,  when  Christ  came,  turned  their  atten- 
tion rightly  to  him,  and  fully  understood  the  in- 
ward and  spiritual  nature  of  his  gospel,  there 
would  have  been  very  little  if  any  real  use  for 
baptism  in  water  afterwards. 


-    A   GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  63 

A  dispensation  of  signs  was  ever  in  condescen- 
sion to  man's  weakness;  and  once  indulged, 
they  are  apt  to  obtain  too  great  veneration,  and 
be  too  long  retained :  for  it  is  seldom  if  ever  the 
case,  that  things  highly  esteemed,  <an  be  dropt 
all  at  once  suddenly.  It  is  often  safer  and  bet- 
ter, to  lead  people  along  gradually  from  signs 
to  substance,  as  they  can  bear  it.  Therefore  the 
early  followers  of  the  blessed  Jesus  were  tender- 
ly indulged,  and  all  outward  things  not  at  once 
rent  from  them:  for  though  he  plainly  taught 
Luke  xvii.  90)  that  the 4<  kingdom  of  God  cometh 
not  with  observation,"  or  as  in  the  margin, 
•'  with  outward  show/'  yet  during  the  twilight 
of  things,  or  the  evening  time,  wherein,  thougb> 
there  was  some  light,  yet  there  was  also  some 
darkness;  things  not  being  yet  wholly  clear,  nor 
wholly  dark-,  not  yet  full  and  perfect  gospel  day 
nor  altogether  night.  See  Zechar.  xiv.  6,  7.  He 
might  safely,  and  he  did  wisely  permit  things 
not  properly  belonging  to  his  kingdom,  but  which 
were  to  decrease,  and  terminate  as  the  sun  arose, 
and  the  day  advanced  in  its  full  clearness  and 
perfection.  And  these  things,  though  then  on- 
ly permitted  in  condescension,  too  many  very 
sincere,  but  in  this  respect  weak  Christians, 
have  been  gleaning  up,  from  that  day  to  this, 
instead  of  pressing  into  the  spiritual  holy  of  ho- 
lies, beyond  all  vails,  signs  and  symbols. 

They  puzzle  themselves  with  the  Apostles* 
condescending  practices,  and  would  erect  these 
fnto  gospel  ordinances,  though  neither  Christ 
nor  any  of  his  Apostles  ever  enjoined  their  ob- 
servance as  such.     Indeed  they  were  so  far  be«* 


64  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

neath  the  spirituality  and  pure  simplicity  of  the 
new  covenant,  which  was  and  is  in  the  heart 
and  inward  parts,  that  the  great  Mediator  there- 
of never  condescended,  that  we  have  any  ac- 
count of,  to  baptize  one  person  with  water;  it  is 
on  the  contrary,  expressly  declared,  that  "Jesus 
himself  baptized  not,  but  his  disciples."  He 
well  knew  why  he  omitted  it;  for  had  he  done 
it,  it  might  have  induced  his  most  enlightened 
followers  to  continue  it,  out  of  veneration  to  his 
example;  a:?  many  now  do  from  that  of  his  dis- 
ciples, though  he  himself  never  once  practised 
nor  commanded  it;  and  though  Paul  thanked 
God  he  had  baptized  so  very  few.  See  1  Cor.  i. 
14. 

As  to  its  permission  during  the  time  after  it 
was  in  a  good  degree  fulfilled,  till  Christ  arose 
from  the  dead,  it  might  very  well  be  suffered  in 
condescension;  for  the  gospel  day  and  dispensa- 
tion had  not  then  fully  come  in:  all  that  space 
was  a  time  of  unfit/filling  :  many  things  of  an 
outward  typical  nature  w7ere  during  that  time 
fulfilled,  and  very  especially  that  of  the  passo- 
ver,  which  Christ  desired  with  great  desire 
to  eat  with  his  disciples  before  he  suffered.  See 
Luke  xxii.  i5.  But  why  was  he  so  earnest  to 
do  it  before  he  suffered? — The  reason  of  this  his 
earnest  desire  is  plain  to  him  "  who  has  ears  to 
hear" — to  others  it  may  be  a 'mystery. — Christ 
could  never  do  it  with  propriety,  unless  before 
he  suffered ;  ^nd,  had  he  not  done  it,  it  would 
have  remained  unfulfilled  as  to  his  actual  fulfil" 
ment,  by  that  special  participation  of  it. — it  be- 
longed only  to  the  hw\  it  vanished  with  Moses, 


A  GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  65 

as  water  baptism  did  with  Elias,  that  is  John; 
hence  it  behoved  Christ,  in  order  to  its  fulfilment, 
to  eat  it  before  he  suffered;  while  things  were 
fulfilling;  whilst  the  outward  and  typical  things 
concerning  him  were  having  their  end  (see  verse 
37.  of  this  same  chapter)  that  so  having  done 
away  all  these  things,  he  might  triumph  over 
them,  nailing  them  to  his  cross  (see  Col.  ii.  14) 
and  be  able  on  the  cross  to  say  as  he  did,  "  it  is 
finished,"  John  xix.  30;  which  he  could  not 
haye  said  with  equal  propriety,  had  so  impor- 
tant a  type  as  the  passover  remained  unabolished 
by  him.— And  yet  many  are  ignorantly  celebra- 
ting the  passoververy  frequently,  under  an  idea 
that  Christ,  at  the  very  time  when  he  ended  it, 
instituted  an  outward  supper  of  perpetual  con- 
tinuance in  his  church,  which  could  not  possi- 
bly be,  consistently  with  the  nature  of  his  king- 
dom, which  is  an  inicard  thing;  and  therefore, 
when  he  sent  his  disciples  to  prepare  for  him  to 
eat  the  passover,  he  bid  them  say,  "  My  time  is 
at  hand,  I  will  keep  the  passover  at  thy  house 
with  my  disciples,"  Matt.  xxvi.  18.  He  knew 
the  time  was  at  hand  for  all  these  things  to  be 
abolished,  and  have  an  end,  Luke  xxii.  37.  He 
steadily  calls  it  the  passover,  and  never,  I  think, 
once  by  any  other  name ;  and  having  eaten  it 
with  his  disciples,  and  turned  their  attention  to 
its  mystical  signification,  to  the  necessity  of 
their  eating  his  spiritual  flesh  and  drinking  his 
spiritual  blood,  which,  that  he  might  take  occa- 
sion to  do,  that  they  might  live  by  him,  was 
doubtless  one  great  cause  of  his  anxious  desire  to 
eat  it  with  them,  and  just  reminded  them,  in 
eating  the  mere  figure,  to  do  it  in  remem- 
G 


VV  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

brance  of  him;  he  then,  as  if  purposely  to 
show  them  it  helonged  not  to  the  gospel, 
wound  up  the  ceremony,  telling  them  he 
would  not  any  more  eat  or  drink  these  out- 
ward symbols,  nor  partake  again  with  them  of 
the  passover,  till  he  drank  the  wine  new  with 
them  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  (see  Matt,  xxvi.) 
29)  or  until  it  be  fulfilled  in  the  kingdom  of 
God,  Luke  xxii.  16;  or,  as  expressed  verse,  18, 
"  until  the  kingdom  of  God  shall  come."  This 
new  wine  he  drank  with  them  eminently  in  that 
holy  and  spiritual  ki?igdomt  which  they  lived  to 
see  come  before  they  tasted  of  death,  according 
to  his  promise  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  and  other 
blessed  seasons — continues  to  drink  it  neio  in  the 
same  glorious  kingdom  with  all  that  open  and  let 
him  come  in,  for  he  sups  with  them,  and  they 
with  him.— And  this  is  the  only  true  celebra- 
tion of  the  Lord's  supper — that  which  is  out- 
ward is  not  (and  cannot  be)  to  eat  the  Lord's 
supper;  for  that  is  spiritual;  no  such  signs  and 
symbols  can  now  have  any  proper  place  in 
Christ's  kingdom— but  as  he  is  substantially  and 
experimentally  in  and  with  his  people  to  the 
end  of  the  world,  Matt,  xxviii.  20;  as  he  does 
not  leave  them  comfortless,  but  comet h  unto 
them,  John  xiv.  18;  as  he  and  his  Father  make 
their  real  and  living  abode  with  them  (see  verse 
23)  so  he  eats  and  drinks  with  them  in  his  invi- 
sible kingdom,  where  they  "  sit  together  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus,"  which  can  be 
only  in  that  kingdom.  There  they  sit  under 
their  own  vine  and  fig-tree,  where  none  can 
make  them  afraid.— See  Mic.  iv.  4.     These  eat 


A   GOSP2L    ORDINANCE.  67 

the  flesh  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God, 
whereby  their  souls  are  made  alive. 

"  What  is  the  chaff  to  the  wheat?  saith  the 
Lord,"  Jer.  xxiii.  %8.  What  is  a  little  bit  of  out- 
ward bread,  and  a  cup  of  wine,  at  best  taken 
by  way  of  remembrance,  to  the  real  supper  of 
the  Lord,  which  ail  the  saints  partake  of,  and 
live  by?  and  what  if  Christ  did  tell  his  disci- 
ples, as  they  then  ate  the  outward  sign,  to  do 
it  in  remembrance  of  him,  Luke  xxii.  19;  and 
what  if  Paul  told  them,  as  often  as  they  did  so 
they  showed  the  Lord's  death  till  he  came,"  1 
Cor.  xi.  26:  surely  that  makes  no  institution  of 
a  perpetual  outward  ordinance  in  the  church  of 
Christ.  It  was  a  matter  of  liberty  and  choice, 
whether  after  that  once  they  ate  it  or  not;  and 
that  but  until  the  Lord  came,  according  to  his 
promise  that  he  would  not  leave  them  comfort- 
less, but  would  come  unto  them.  And  surely 
they  greatly  miss  the  true  end  and  design  of  it, 
who  are  still  in  these  days  eating  and  drinking 
the  outward  figure,  not  discerning  the  Lord's 
spiritual  body,  nor  partaking  of  that  divine  flesh 
and  blood  that  gives  life,  nourishment,  andvi-. 
gour  to  the  soul :  for  if  this  was  their  happy  expe- 
rience, and  enjoyment  in  the  presence,  company 
and  kingdom  of  the  Lord,  with  true,,  living  and 
sensible  discernment  ot  his  body,  and  that  spiritu- 
ally broken  for  them,  and  of  his  spiritual  blood, 
livingly  and  life-givingly  shed  for  them;  why 
should  they  still  be  eating  the  old,  long-ceased 
symbols  of  it  in  remembrance  of  a  present  Lord 
ana  Saviour?  Does  not  this  practice  bespeak 
Christ's  real  absence  to  their  soul?,  or  their  non- 


08  THE    BAPTISM    OF    fe'HRIST 

discernment  of  his  spiritual  body  ?  Let  the  wise 
in  heart  among  them  ponder  it  well. 

But  now  to  return  to  water  baptism :  I  was 
mentioning  that  it  might  be  continued  till 
Christ's  resurrection,  with  some  kind  of  indul- 
gent propriety— and  accordingly  we  find,  that  as 
they  came  down  from  the  mountain  (after  the 
transfiguration)  he  (Christ)  charged  them  that 
they  should  tell  no  man  what  things  they  had 
seen,  till  the  Son  of  man  were  risen  from  the 
dead,"  Mark  ix.  9.  The  vision  looked  forward 
to  that  time,  for  the  full  completion  of  the 
things  it  was  designed  to  exhibit— and  therefore 
this  very  silence  enjoined  on  them  till  that  time, 
is  a  further  and  loud  confirmation  that  the  fore- 
going is  the  genuine  import  and  meaning  of  the 
whole  vision. — But  further  "  they  asked  him, 
saying,  why  say  the  scribes  that  Elias  must 
first  come?"  verse  11.  "  And  he  answered  and 
told  them,  Elias  verily  first  cometh  and  resto- 
reth  all  things,"  verse  12:  "  but  I  say  unto  you, 
that  Elias  is  indeed  come,"  verse  13  ;  or,  as  Mat- 
thew has  it,  chap.  xvii.  verse  12,  13,  "  but  I  say 
unto  you,  that  Elias  has  come  already,  and 
they  knew  him  not,  but  have  done  unto  him 
whatsoever  they  listed :  likewise  shall  also  the 
Son  ot  Man  suffer  of  them"— then  the  disciples 
understood  that  he  spake  unto  them  of  John  the 
Baptist.— «Thus  clear  is  it  that  John  the  Baptist 
was  Elias,  who  had  thus  appeared  and  disap- 
peared in  the  mount  with  them.— On  the  whole, 
it  is  evident  to  thoroughly  enlightened  minds  as 
any  doctrine  in  the  gospel,  that  neither  water 
baptism,  eating  material  bread  and  wine,  nor 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  0\9 

any  other  mere  outward  performance,  can  pos» 
sibly  in  the  nature  of  things  have  any  place  as 
standing  ordinances  in  the  church  and  kingdom 
of  Christ.— Christ's  coming  was  designed  to  put 
an  end  to  all  these  things— and  therefore  the 
eating,  drinking,  washing  and  purification  which 
remain  in  the  gospel  state,  are  all  inward  and 
spiritual,  and  can  be  no  otherwise. — The  one 
gospel  bantism  is  not  that  which  puts  away  the 
outward  filth  of  the  flesh  (which  is  all  that  wa- 
ter can  do)  but  it  is  that  which  actually  saves  us, 
and  brings  to  "  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience 
towards  God  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Pet.  iii.  21. — This  no  figure  could  or  ever  can 
do— though  such  as  continue  under  the  signs  of 
former  dispensations  would  have  us  believe,  that 
the  Apostle  here  affirms  that  a  figure  saves  us, 
by  the  resurrection  of  Christ.— Whereas  there 
never  was  and  never  can  be  but  one  thing  that 
saves  the  soul— and  that  is  the  inward  purifying 
baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost— as  Titus  iii.  5, "  ac- 
cording to  his  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  wash- 
ing of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost."— Here  is  something  that  changes,  re- 
generates and  renews  the  soul;  well  may  this  be 
said  to  be  saving:  and  as  this  "  washing  of  wa- 
ter by  the  word,"  spiritually  saves  the  soul,  how 
natural  is  Peter's  comparison  of  an  outward  sal- 
vation, in  an  outward  ark,  on  the  outward  wa- 
ter, to  this  inward  salvation,  by  inward  and 
spiritual  water,  in  the  inward  and  spiritual  ark 
of  the  everlasting  covenant.  See  Rev.  xi.  19. 
"  And  the  temple  of  God  was  opened  in  heaven, 
and  there  was  seen  in  his  temple  the  ark  of  his 
testament"  &c— If  Christians  would  wait  to 
G9 


70  THE    BAPTISM   OF    CHBISJ 

see  the  temple  of  God  thus  spiritually  opened 
in  heaven,  they  would  come  to  know  this  ar/i— 
and  would  rejoice  in  the  salvation  therein  expe- 
rienced; and  would  know  it  to  be  as  impossible 
for  one  sign  or  figure -to  save  the  soul  as  another; 
that  outward  water  can  no  more  be  sanctified  to 
the  icashing  away  si?it  than  the  "  blood  of  bulls 
and  of  goats,"  which  the  Apostle  says  plainly  is 
impossible,  Heb.  x.  4,  "  for  it  is  not  possible  that 
the  "  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats  should  take 
away  sins"-— and  it  will  forever  remain  as  im- 
possible for  outward  washing  to  do  it — and  there- 
fore Peter  wisely  adds,  after  mentioning  the 
baptism  that  now  saves  us,  "  not  the  putting 
away  the  filth  of  the  flesh;"  for  he  had  now 
learned,  whatever  he  had  when  he  visited  Cor- 
nelius, and  it  is  likely  he  pretty  well  knew  it 
then,  that  outward  water  could  not  wash  away 
sin,  nor"  make  the  comers  thereunto  perfect,  as 
pertaining  to  the  conscience,"  any  more  than 
ihe  other  signs  and  divers  washings  under  the 
law;  and  therefore  having  mentioned  outward 
water  in  the  preceding  verse,  lest  any  should  ig- 
norantly  suppose  he  meant  outward  water,  in 
speaking  of  the  baptism  which  now  saves  us,  he 
carefully  and  immediately  distinguishes,  and 
declares  he  did  not  mean  any  outward  cleansing, 
but  something  which  really  doth  save;  and  he 
asserts  it  to  be  "  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
Christ,"  as  that  which,  livingly  known  in  us, 
"  the  resurrection  and  the  life,"  brings  to  the 
comfortable  answer  of  a  good  conscience  ;  and 
nothing  else  ever  can— for  "  the  law  made  no- 
thing perfect,"  as  pertaining  to  the  conscience; 
For,  it  having  st  shadow  of  good  things  to  come. 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  71 

and  not  the  very  image  of  the  things,  can  never, 
with  those  sacrifices  which  they  offered  year  by 
year  continually,  make  the  comers  thereunto 
perfect;  for  then  would  they  not  have  ceased  to 
be  offered,  because  that  the  worshippers  once 
purged,  should  have  had  no  more  conscience 
of  sins,  Heb.  x.  1,  2. 

Here  we  see  those  outward  sacrifices  and 
washings,  "  the  shadows  of  good  things  to 
come,"  could  never  purge  the  conscience  then; 
nor  can  any  outward  baptisms,  nor  all  the  wa- 
ters of  Jordan,  any  more  do  it  wow;  and  there- 
fore Peter,  speaking  of  the  baptism  which  now 
saves  us,  brings  it  home  to  that  which  alone  can 
truly  purge  the  conscience,  and  "  make  the 
comers  thereunto  perfect"— to  wit,  the  bringing 
in  of  a  better  hope,  by  the  which  we  draw  nigh 
unto  God,  Heb.  vii.  19.  Here  we  "  lay  hold  on 
the  hope  set  before  us ;  which  hope,  (says  the 
Apostle)  we  have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both 
sure  and  stedfast,  and  which  entereth  into  that 
within  the  vail,"  chap.  vi.  18,  19.  This  is 
"  Christ  in  us  the  hope  of  glory."  See  Col.  i. 
27-  This  is  known  only  where  Christ  is  "  the 
resurrection  and  the  life"  experimentally  to 
the  soul,  as  before  observed.  Here  alone  is  the 
answer  of  a  good  conscience,  hereby  indeed 
"  we  draw  nigh  unto  God,"  and  this  is  all 
within,  and  is  the  experience  of  such  only 
whose  understandings  are  so  enlightened  as  to 
"  know  what  is  the  hope  of  this  calling,  and 
what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance 
in  the  saints"  Eph.  i.  18. 


>  -  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 


CHAPTER  III. 


All  old  things  done  away  in  the  gospel  state.  Signs  and 
shadows  ceased.  Their  use  was  from  men's  alienation 
from  Christ ;  the  law  being  added  because  of  transgres- 
sion. Christ  in  men,  the  life  or  all  dispensations. 
All  change  in  these,  but  in  accommodation  to  the 
change  in  men.  Shadows  but  imposed  until  the  time 
of  reformation.  The  way  into  the  holiest  of  all  not 
manifest,  whilst  the  first  tabernacle  was  standing, 
and  the  mind  resting  in  outward  ordinances.  Water 
baptism  was  under  the  first  covenant,  and  no  part  of 
the  second.  Hence  the  least,  purely  under  the  second, 
is  greater  than  John,  as  John  the  Baptist.  As  Moses 
<*ave  place  to  Joshua,  so  John  to  Jesus.  Moses  enter- 
ed not  into  Canaan;  nor  John,  as  the  Baptist  into  the 
purely  spiritual  kingdom.  Signs  and  figures  make 
none  "-perfect.  Hence  there  is  a  disannulling  of  all 
these  for  their  weakness.  It  is  idle  to  suppose  one  set 
of  ceremonials  abolished,  to  make  way  for  others  as 
gospel  ordinances.  Christ  commissions  his  disciples, 
at  Galilee,  to  baptize  into  the  very  name,  the  life  and 
power  of  God ;  not  as  a  separate  act,  but  by  their  power- 
ful gospel  ministry.     They  ivcre  to  teach  baptizir-gly. 

AS  I  have  long  seen  with  sorrow,  how  the 
shadows  detain  people  from  the  substance,  and 
how  hard  many  strive,  even  against  lively 
convictions  to  the  contrary,  at  times,  and 
greatly  to  their  own  loss,  in  regard  to  the  true 
riches,  glory  and  inheritance  of  and  in  the  saints, 
to  make  these  outward  things  answer,  as  a  sub- 
stitute, instead  of  inward  substance ;  I  am  in 
earnest  to  assist  them,  if  possible,  in  the  neces- 
sary discovery  that  these  things  have  long  ago 
ceased,  as  to  their  proper  use;  and  can  have  no 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  73 

proper  place  in  the  full  sunshine  of  the  gospel 
day.— Bear  with  me,  therefore,  friendly  reader, 
whilst  I  further  show  how  "  all  old  things" 
(signs  and  ceremonies)  "  are  passed  away"  to  all 
thorough  Christians — *'  all  things  are"  (to  these) 
*i  become  new ;  all  things  are  of  God,"  2  Cor. 
xvii.  18. 

Now  it  is  clear  to  me,  "  all  old  things"  are 
not  passed  away,  in  the  experience  of  any  who 
are  continuing  in  the  religious  use  of  outward 
bread,  wine,  water,  or  any  of  the  old  figurative 
things  of  t\\e  former  dispensations.  The  law 
was  added  because  of  transgressions,  till  the 
seed  should  come,  Gal.  iii.  xix.  If  man  had  not 
transgressed  against  the  light  of  Christ  shining 
in  the  heart,  and  enlightening  "  every  man  that 
cometh  into  the  world"  (John  i.)  1  suppose  no 
outward  written  law  had  ever  been  necessary. 
Were  not  the  minds  of  men  alienated  from  the 
life  and  government  of  Christ  in  the  soul,  where 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  (for  Christ  declares  it 
is  within)  none  of  the  signs,  either  of  John's  or 
of  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  had  ever  been  found 
needful.  These  were  only  as  a  schoolmaster,  to 
lead  the  mind  back  from  its  wanderings  "  to 
Christ,  who  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and 
forever;"  the  change  is  only  in  us— and  all  the 
change  of  dispensations,  from  first  to  last,  is  in 
accommodation  and  condescension  to  the  chan- 
ging and  changed  state  of  men,— Christ  was 
i(  before  Abraham,"  and  was  and  is  all  the  real 
life,  in  and  under  every  dispensation;  and  those 
outward  things  were  only  u  imposed  on  them 
until  the  time  of  reformation,"  (Heb,  ix.  10.) 


74  THE    BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

until  a  return  to  that  from  which  the  mind  was 
estranged— for  in  that  estranged,  bewilder- 
ed and  outward  literal  state  of  mind,  the  way 
into  the  holiest  of  all  was  not  made  manifest  ;" 
for  the  first,  the  outward  "  tabernacle,  was  yet 
standing,"  verse  8;  and  the  mind  in  this  state 
was  still  disposed  to  stop  and  rest  in  the  out- 
ward tabernacle,  and  in  the  shadow  of  the  first 
covenant,  "  which  had  many  ordinances  of  di- 
vine service,  and  a  worldly  sanctuary."  See 
verse  1.  Here  the  outward  worshippers  rested 
secure,  although  this  tabernacle  was  but  "  a 
figure  for  the  time  then  present,  in  which 
were  offered  both  gifts  and  sacrifices,  that  could 
not  make  him  that  did  the  service  perfect,  as 
pertaining  to  the  conscience,  which  stood  only 
(let  it  be  duly  noticed)  in  meats,  and  drinks, 
and  divers  washings,  and  carnal  ordinances  im- 
posed on  them,  until  the  time  of  reformation," 
verse  10.  But  none  of  these  things  belong  to 
the  gospel,  or  times  of  rea!  reformation,  and 
full  return  to  the  life  and  substance,  which  was 
of  old,  before  ever  the  outward  law  was  written, 
amply  sufficient  for  all  that  would  keep  to  it. 
But  men  departing  from  this,  and  rebelling 
against  the  light,  they  know  not  the  ways  there- 
of, nor  abide  in  the  paths  thereof,  Job  xxiv.  13. 
And  in  this  alienated  and  rebellious  state  "  the 
law  entered,  that  the  offence  might  abound," 
Rom.  v.  20;  for  God,  in  gracious  condescen- 
sion to  man  Xhus, darkened,  and  wandering  from 
the  sure  guide,  was  pleased  to  meet  him  in 
things  more  outward,  to  arrest  his  attention, 
and  make  him  sensible  of  the  offensiueness  of 
his  state  and  condition  ;  that  so,  jf  it  might  by 


A    ROSPEr,    ORTiTNANCE.  75 

any  means  be  effected,  he  might  turn  to  the 
Lord  and  find  him  a  Saviour.  Hence  the  law 
entered  with  many  very  significant  ceremonies 
and  services,  pointing  out  man's  need  of  puriflf 
cation,  forgiveness,  and  restoration.  All  this 
was  to  serve  as  a  "  schoolmaster  to  lead  to 
Christ."  It  not  only  pointed  to  him  as  then 
yet  to  come  a  great  way  off,  or  a  long  time  hence ; 
but  it  pointed  to  him  also  directly,  as  then  at 
hand,  in  and  among  them,  if  they  would  have 
known  and  attended  to  him.  For,  says  Moses 
(Deut.  xxx.  11,  &c.)  "  this  commandment  which 
I  command  thee  this  day,  it  is  not  hidden  from 
thee,  neither  is  it  far  off'.  It  is  not  in  heaven,  that 
thou  shouidest  say,  who  shall  go  up  for  us  to 
heaven,  and  bring  it  unto  us,  that  we  may  hear 
it  and  do  it  ?  neither  is  it  beyond  the  sea,  that 
thou  shouidest  say,  who  shall  go  over  the  sea 
for  us,  and  bring  it  unto  us,  that  we  may  hear 
it  and  do  it?  but  the  word  is  very  nigh  thee,  in 
thy  mouth  and  in  thy  heart,  that  thou  may- 
est  do  it.''  And,  verse  20,  he  presseth  it  upon 
them  to  love  and  cleave  unto  the  Lord,  assuring 
them  thus;  "  for  he  is  thy  life,  and  the  length 
of  thy  days." 

Thus  did  Moses  point  out  the  word  near  and 
in  them,  and  referred  them  plainly  to  the  Lord 
himself,  as  the  life  to  their  souls.  And  Paul 
tells  the  Romans,  x.  8,  that  this  word  which  Mo- 
ses tells  Israel  was  near  and  in  them,  "  is  the 
word  of  faith,  which  we  preach.,,  And  in  the 
preceding  verses  expressly  declares  this  to  be 
the  u  righteousness  of  faith ;  and  that  it  speak- 
eth  on  this  wise,  '*  say  not  in  thine  heart,  who 


70  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

shall  ascend  into  heaven  (that  is,  to  bring  Christ 
down  from  above)  or  who  shall  descend  into  the 
deep  (that  is,  to  bring  Christ  again  from  the 
dead")  &c.  Hence  it  is  clear,  that  the  life  of 
Christ  the  Lord  near  them,  and  even  in  them, 
was  wha?  Moses  meant  to  point  them  to,  and 
wished  them  to  love  and  cleave  unto,  and  which 
"was  nothing  less  than  the  true  and  living;  word  of 
faith  which  the  Apostles  preached.  This,  as 
before  hinred,  has  been  the  real  life  of  all  dis- 
pensations; and  when  and  where  the  true  refor- 
mation, return,  and  cleaving  unto  this,  hearing 
and  doing  it,  takes  phce  in  purity  and  fulness, 
"  all  old  things  are  passed  away."  The  shadows 
vanish  before  the  light,  and  the  elements  melt 
with  the  fervent  heat  of  the  gospel  sun. 

These  things  could  never  have  been  designed 
for  perpetual  continuance  in  the  gospel  state, 
but  only  to  lead  unto  it.  u  For  if  that  first  co- 
venant had  been  faultless,  then  should  no  place 
have  been  sought  for  the  second, "  Heb.  viii.  7. 
John's  baptism,  as  well  as  the  passover,  was  un- 
der the  first  covenant,  and  no  proper  part  of  the 
second.  Had  it  been  part  of  the  second,  how 
could  Christ  have  testified,  as  before  noticed,that 
though  among  them  that  were  born  of  women, 
there  had  not  risen  agreater  than  John  theBaptist, 
notwithstanding  he  that  is  least  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  greater  than  he?  Mat  xi.  11:  but 
the  reason  is  now  plain,  as  already  evinced,  why 
the  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  greater 
than  he,  to  wit,  that  both  he,  as  John  the  Bap- 
tist, and  his  baptism  belonged  not  to  the  se- 
cond covenant ;  and  that  therefore,  as  John  the 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  77 

Baptist,  he  was  but  the  administrator  of  a  bap- 
tism that  hay  no  proper  place  in  Christ's  spiritual 
kingdom  ;  to  the  least,  in  the  purity  of  which, 
"  all  old  things  are  passed  away."  This  state  is 
evidently  greater,  as  has  been  observed  already, 
than  that  of  John,  as  the  baptizer  in  outward 
water,  in  which  capacity  he  is  here  spoken  of; 
and  as  such  he  was  to  decrease,  and  his  baptism 
to  give  place  to  Christ's. 

As  a  saint  and  servant  of  God,  he  was  never 
to  decrease,  but  to  M  increase  with  the  increase 
of  God;  but  his  dispensation,  his  baptism,  was 
ever  designed  to  decrease,  and  be  fulfilled.  And 
I  think  it  will  be  granted,  that  the  least  in  the 
pure  kingdom  of  life  and  substance  is,  and  must 
be,  in  the  nature  of  things,  greater  than  any  e- 
ver  could  be  in  the  mere  administration  of  a  de- 
creasing and  terminating  institution. 

John  was  doubtless,  as  a  Christian  (aud  such 
there  have  been  in  all  ages— Abraham  was  emi- 
nently one)  great  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven— 
but  this  was  not  as  John  the  Baptist;  as  such,  he 
came  to  but  did  not  enter  the  kingdom,  nor  foe- 
long  to  it — he  saw  it  with  his  eyes,  and  knew,  and 
pointed  to  the  Lord  of  it :  but  as  Moses  went 
not  over  Jordan,  though  he  did  much  towards 
leading  Israel  to  their  inheritance,  but  gave  place 
to  Joshua,  whose  name,  like  that  of  Jesus,  sig- 
nifies a  Saviour,  and  who  conducted  them  alter 
Moses  into  the  good  land;  so  John  the  Baptist, 
as  such,  could  not  belong  to  the  purely  spiritual 
kingdom  of  our  Lord  ;  but  gave  place  to  him. 
the  anointed  Saviour  who  baptixeth  everv  mem- 
H 


78  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CI1RI8T 

ber  and  subject  of  his  church  and  kingdom  into 
the  very  life  and  power  of  the  kingdom,  which 
"  is  not  meat  and  drink,  but  righteousness,  and 
peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,"  Rom.  xiv. 
17-  And  seeing  John's  baptism  was  no  part  of 
the  second  covenant,  but  was  under  the  first,  and 
its  proper  use  was  only  whilst  theirs*  tabernacle 
was  standing— \t  is  equally  disannulled  by  the 
abolishing  of  the  first  covenant,  and  removal  of 
the  first  tabernacle,  with  the  other  figurative  ob- 
servations; and  for  the  same  reason  was  this  dis- 
annulled, as  were  the  others,  viz.  its  insufficien- 
cy, weakness,  and  utter  inability  to  make  perfect 
the  comers  thereunto.  "  For  there  is  verily  a 
disannulling  of  the  commandment,  going  before 
for  the  weakness  and  unprofitableness  thereof. 
For  the  law  made  nothing  perfect ;  but  the 
bringing  in  of  a  better  hope  did,  by  the  which 
we  draw  nigh  unto  God,"  Heb.  vii.  18,  19. 
Here  we  see  that  which  went  before  the  new  co- 
venant state  was,  for  its  weakness  and  unprofita- 
bleness in  making  perfect,  disannulled  ;  and 
surely  John's  ministration  and  baptism  went  be- 
fore that  state,  and  were  designed  expressly  to 
prepare  for  it.  1  marvel  that  Christians  do  not 
see  it,  and  press  on  beyond  it.  It  is  idle  to  sup- 
pose one  set  of  signs  and  ceremonies  disannulled 
for  their  iceakness,  and  another  set  introduced  as 
perpetual  ordinances  in  the  gospel  state— we  do 
not  read,  that,  "  finding  fault"  with  the  rites, 
figures  and  ordinances  of  the  first  covenant, 
God  ordained  water-washing,  and  eating  and 
drinking  bread  and  wine,  as  more  .permanent 
and  perpetual  institutions  of  the  new  or  second 
covenant.— Nay,  verily,  he  finds  fault   equally 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  79 

with  all  things  in  their  own  nature  equally  par- 
taking of  the  same  weakness.— Both  were  of  di- 
vine institution  for  a  time,  and  equally  weak 
and  liable  to  a  necessary  abrogation;  and  being 
both  typical,  there  was  no  more  perpetual  per- 
manency in  the  one  than  the  other,  neither  in 
themselves,  nor  in  their  institution— and  of  the 
Mosaic  institutions,  it  is  expressly  said,  "  find- 
ing fault  with  them,  he  saith,  behold  the  days 
come,  saith  the  Lord,  when  I  will  make  a  new 
covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel,  and  with  the 
house  of  Judah,"'  Heb.  viii.  8.  Now  what  was 
this  new  covenant  ?  It  was  intended  to  super- 
cede and  supply  the  defects  of  the  old;  but 
there  is  not  one  word  of  any  of  those  outward 
ordinances  in  it. — They  are  all  old  things;  and 
however  extolled  by  many  good  men,  belong  to 
the  old  covenant  forever.  So  that  the  ceremo- 
nials of  the  law  are  as  much  gospel  ordinances 
as  water  baptism,  or  bread  and  wine. 

The  new  covenant  is  altogether  inward  and 
spiritual.  "  For  this  is  the  covenant  that  I  will 
make  with  the  house  of  Israel,  after  those  days, 
saith  the  Lord;  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their 
mind,  and  write  them  in  their  hearts,  and  I  will 
be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me  a  peo- 
ple," &c.  verse  10.  "  Christ  has  not  entered  in- 
to the  holy  places,  made  with  hands,  which  are 
the  figures  of  the  true"  Heb.  ix.  24.  Nor  ought 
we,  if  we  would  become  completely  his  follow- 
ers, to  continue  in  the  figurative  washings,  any 
more  than  in  the  figurative  offerings  and  old  ce- 
remonious worship  of  that  temple,  which  was 
but  st  figure  of  the  Jn/e.— "The  priesthood  being 


80  THE    BAPTISM  OF    CUR  1ST 

changed,  there  is  made  of  necessity  a  change  al- 
so of  the  law,"  vii.  12.  It  behoved  that  the  bap- 
tisms accompanying  the  first  priesthood,  the 
worldly  tabernacle,  and  holy  places  made  with 
hands,  should,  like  them,  be  outward ;  but  now 
the  law  being  changed,  and  the  covenant  written 
in  the  heart,  a  spiritual  baptism  alone  can  be  pro- 
per, and  accordingly  is  the  one  only  baptism  of 
the  gospel— for  if  it  was  necessary  "  that  the 
patterns  of  the  heavenly  things,"  these  being 
outward,  should  be  figuratively  purified  with 
outward  sprinklings,  washings,  &c.  surely  it  is 
as  necessary  that  the  heavenly  things  themselves 
be  purified  with  better  sacrifices  and  washings 
than  these.  See  Heb.  ix.  23.  I  think  if  the 
vail  wrere  done  away  in  the  experience  of  Chris- 
tians— they  might  in  this  one  text,  Heb.  x.  5, 
"  when  he  cometh  into  the  world,  he  saith,  sa- 
crifice and  offerings  thou  wouldest  not,  but  a  bo- 
dy hast  thou  prepared  me,"  read  clearly  the  dis- 
mission of  all  figurative  atonements  and  purifi- 
cations.—All  the  sacrifices  and  offerings  "he 
taketh  away" — as  the  first  things,  "  that  he  may 
establish  the  second"— that  is,  "  lo  I  come  to  do 
thy  will,  O  God." — This  must  be  done  in  all  the 
seed  ;  and  this  is  the  thing  that  remaineth  fore- 
ver—established under  the  gospel.— The  scope 
of  the  Apostle's  reasoning  in  this  chapter,  against 
the  continuation  of  the  "  shadows  of  the  good 
things  to  come,"  is  from  their  iveakness,  their 
impropriety  and  uselessness,  where  the  substance 
is  known— and  thus  he  argues,  that  where  re- 
mission of  sins  is  obtained,  there  is  no  more  of- 
fering for  sin.  See  verse  18.  Why  then  conti- 
nue a  baptism  that  was  expressly  unto  repent- 


A    GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  81, 

ance,  for  the  remission  of  sins,  if  we  have  ob- 
tained remission  ?  Paul  brings  in  the  new  cove- 
nant written  in  the  heart— and  the  remission  ot 
sins  attending  it.  "  Their  sins  and  iniquities 
will  I  remember  no  more  ;"  and  in  the  very  next 
words  forms  the  above  conclusion.  Now  where 
remission  of  these  is,  there  is  no  more  offering 
for  sin.— And  after  he  gets  through  with  the  ar- 
gument, instead  of  urging  any  outward  baptisms 
or  figurative  observations,  he  pressingly  enjoins 
love,  good  works,  holding  fast,  not  drawing  back, 
not  neglecting  assembling,  not  to  cast  away  con- 
fidence, patience,  &c— Can  any  thing  be  plainer^ 
than  that  such  care  and  constancy  in  faith,  pa- 
tience, and  godly  walking,  according  to  the 
writing  of  the  new  covenant,  are  the  weighty 
matters  of  the  gospel  dispensation  in  Paul's  es- 
timation ?  that  as  he  was  not  sent  to  baptize 
with  water,  so  he  never  in  all  his  writing  en- 
joins it,  nor  reproves  for  its  omission. — He  speaks 
of  the  believers,  not  as  being  then  exercised  in 
the  terrible  things  at  Sinai,  but  as  come  to  the 
excellent  things  of  Mount  Sion— "  the  heaven- 
ly Jerusalem — to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect;  and  to  Jesus,  the  mediator  of  the  new 
covenant ;  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,"  &c. — 
This  is  all  sufficient  without  the  figures— and 
so  he  shows  the  removal  of  all  else.  "  Yet  once 
more  I  shake  not  the  earth  only ;  but  also  hea- 
vens—this is  the  removal  of  things  that  are 
shaken—1'  that  those  things  which  cannot  be 
shaken  may  remain."  "  Wherefore"  (says  he) 
•'  we  receiving  a  k  ngdom  which  cannot  be  mov- 
ed, let  us  have  grace,  whereby  we  may  serve 
God  acceptably  with  reverence  and  godly  fear." 
H  2 


S2  THE    BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

See  about  the  latter  half  of  chapter  xii.  and  xiir. 
9.  He  subjoins,  *■  be  not  carried  about  with 
divers  and  strange  doctrines;  for  it  is  a  good 
thing  that  the  heart  be  established  with  grace  ; 
not  with  meats  which  have  not  profited  them  that 
have  been  occupied  therei?i."— -Did  he  not  mean 
these  elementary  things,  by  the  strange  doctrines  f 
if  not,  why  does  he  so  immediately  propose 
grace  as  the  means  of  establishment,  and  dis- 
countenance meats  as  unprofitable?  and  what 
means  the  altar  in  the  next  verse,  whereof  they 
have  no  right  to  eat  which  serve  the  tabernacle  ? 
is  not  this  altar  and  that  which  is  eaten,  by  the 
ice,  who  have  it,  and  have  a  right  to  eat  of  it, 
something  belonging  to  the  kingdom  they  have 
received  which  cannot  be  shaken  ?  and  are  not 
the  meats,  drinkings  and  washings,  that  are  un- 
profitable, the  things  that  are  shaken  ?  and  why 
is  the  shaking  and  removal  of  these,  called  shak- 
ing heaven?  is  it  not  plainly  because  these  are 
things  that  had  pertained  to  devotion  and  reli- 
gious services,  and  wTere  yet  urged  as  such  by 
too  many  ?  and  can  any  thing  remain  of  a  cere- 
monial nature,  where  this  heaven  is  thoroughly 
shaken,  where  all  old  things  are  done  away,  and 
all  things  become  newt  according  to  the  new  and 
Jiving  way  of  the  gospel  ?— This  epistle  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  written  in  the  year  sixty- 
four;  so  that  there  had  been  a  pretty  full  time 
of  trial  what  was  and  what  was  not  profitable  to 
those  who  had  been  occupied  in  them.— -And  we 
find  here  many  good  things  inculcated  and  en- 
Joined,  but  ceremonials  are  rejected,  as  pertain- 
ing to  the  first  covenant,  and  as  now  shaken  and 
rem oveds— -And  is  it  not  truly  worthy  of  remark 


A   GOSPEL    ©RDINAKCE.  83 

that  John,  the  beloved  disciple  of  our  Lord, 
who  is  supposed  to  have  written  his  history  of 
Christ's  life  and  doctrines  many  years  after  his 
ascension,  makes  no  mention  at  all  of  our  Sa- 
viour's conduct  at  the  eating  of  the  passover, 
in  regard  to  the  disciples'  eating  and  drinking  in 
remembrance  of  him— but  relates  very  circum- 
stantially his  other  conduct  of  washing  the  dis- 
ciples' feet,  and  the  instructive  lesson  couched 
in  it? 

May  we  not  fairly  conclude,  that  as  the  only 
proper  time  of  the  disciples'  eating  and  drink- 
ing in  remembrance  of  Christ,  was  but  until  his 
coming  again,  the  Comforter  to  take  up  his  a- 
bode  with  them,  and  lead  and  guide  them  into 
all  truth ;  and  as  this  season  was  long  elapsed, 
when  John  wrote,  that  therefore,  he  thinking  it 
of  no  use  to  mention  it,  passed  it  in  total  silence, 
as  one  of  the  many  things  which  Jesus  truly 
did,  but  which  are  not  noticed  in  his  history  ? 
We  find  him  very  careful  in  correcting  a  hear- 
say report,  which  might,  if  believed,  tend  to 
lead  people  into  outward  observances,  which  he 
appears  not  to  have  relied  on,  nor  inculcated  in 
all  his  writings.  The  report  I  allude  to  is  that, 
by  the  spreading  whereof  "  the  Pharisees  had 
heard  that  Jesus  made  and  baptized  more  dis- 
ciples than  John"  the  Baptist.  This  mistake 
the  beloved  disciple,  who  leaned  on  Jesus'  bo- 
som, and  having  near  access  to  his  heart,  knew 
much  of  his  mind  and  will,  takes  special  care  to 
rectify,  by  a  full  declaration  that  M  Jesus  him- 
self baptized  not,  but  his  disciples."  Observing 
this  general  omission  of  things  not  essential,  and 


84  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIS  * 

his  great  care  to  transmit  down  to  posterity  ma- 
ny heavenly  and  truly  evangelical  and  deeply 
interesting  sayings,  exhortations  and  divine  in- 
timations of  the  blessed  Jesus;  I  have  been  rea- 
dy tosuppose  his  whole  aim,  in  mentioning  wa- 
ter baptism  at  all,  was  just  to  do  John  the  Bap- 
tist and  the  Pharisees  justice;  properly  intro- 
duce Jesus  as  increasing,  and  John  as  decreas- 
ing ;  carefully  record  John's  repeated  mention  of 
water,  as  peculiar  to  his  baptism,  in  direct  con- 
tradistinction to  Christ's;  and  pointedly  to  con- 
tradict the  mistaken  opinion,  that  Christ  bap- 
tized in  water. 

John  knew  very  well  the  disciples  did  so,  and 
doubtless  knew  on  what  ground  it  was.  Let 
any  one  read  carefully  his  evangelical  history 
and  epistles,  and  observe  his  almost  total  silence 
about  many  things  related  by  others,  and  how 
he  abounds  in  the  mention  of  deep  spiritual 
matters;  and  see  if  it  does  not  greatly  favour 
the  opinion,  that  John  saw  the  abundant  need 
of  preserving  and  inculcating  things  of  an  in- 
ward, living,  spiritual  import  and  concernment, 
and  divine  nature:  he  aimed  at  life  and  sub- 
stance and  carefully  retained  what  is  most  liv- 
ingly  expressive  of  it,  and  what  tends  most  im- 
mediately to  promote  the  knowledge  of  it  a- 
mong  men.  In  his  epistles  he  dwells  almost 
entirely  on  things  really  essential :  he  makes  the 
old  commandment,  the  word  they  had  "  heard 
from  the  beginning"— and  the  new,  *  which 
thing"  (says  he)  "  is  true  in  him  and  in  you," 
to  centre  in  the  doctrine  of  the  true  light  that 
now  shineth,  1  John,  ii.  1,  8.     And  his  advices 


A    GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  85 

are  to  faithfulness  in  keeping  and  abiding  in  the 
holy  ivord,  to  love  and  good  works ;  but  not  a 
word  of  exhortation  to  ceremonials.— And  may 
we  not  fairly  conclude,  both  water  baptism,  and 
the  bread  and  wine,  were  much  laid  aside,  or 
very  little  relied  upon  or  inculcated,  at  the  late 
period  at  which  this  beloved  disciple  wrote  ? 


«C  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Christ's  baptism  is  into  the  name,  i.  e  life  and  poicer  tff 
the  Godhead.  So  his  commission  to  his  disciples  to  ad- 
minister it,  could  not  be  executed  but  by  divine  power. 
They  waiting  for,  received  this,  and  baptized  others  with 
it.  All  Gospel  preaching  is  herein,  and  in  its  nature  is 
baptizing.  Christ's  baptism  effects  entire  sanctification. 
John's  a  lively  type  of  it,  being  all  over,  in  water.  It 
shewed  the  need  of  cleansing  and  remission,  but  effect- 
ed neither.  Christ's  alone  can.  John  constantly  dis- 
tinguishes his from  Christ's,  by  the  word  water.  Christ 
baptized  none  in  water,  nor  ordered  it  (that  appears) 
but  doubtless  would,  had  it  been  bis  baptism.  None 
of  the  prophecies  point  him  out  so  baptizing,  but  as 
effecting  inward  changes.  Disciples'  use  of  water  no 
more  perpetuates  it,  than  their  use  of  circumcision,  an- 
nointing  with  oil,  vows,  &,c.  do  them.  Paul's  commis- 
sion full,  yet  he  thanks  God  he  baptized  so  few.  Coun- 
cil at  Jerusalem  did  not  advise  water,  bread  or  wine. 

Let  us  nov?*attend  more  particularly  to  the 
great  baptismal  commission,  Mat.  28.  The 
18th  verse  introduceth  it  thus:  "and  Jesus 
came  and  spake  unto  them,  saying  all  power  is 
given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth."  A  very 
proper  introduction  to  command  attention,  in- 
spire coviik  nee,  and  show  'them  whence  their 
whole  qualification  to  teach  baptizingly  was  to 
proceed.  19th,  "Go  ye  therefore  and  teach  all 
nations,  baptizing  them  eis  to  onoma,  into  the 
name  of  tne  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost."  20th,  •'  Teaching  them  to  observe 
all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you  : 
and  lo!  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end 


A   GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  87 

of  the  world.  Amen."  Observe  he  says,  "  go 
ye  therefore ;"  that  is,  because  "  I  have  all  power," 
and  can  and  will  qualify  you  so  to  teach,  in  my 
own  life  and  power,  as  thereby  to  baptize  the 
people  into  the  very  name,  the  power,  virtue 
and  life,  of  the  Divinity.  Observe  further,  the 
commission  is  not  teach,  and  baptize,  as  two 
distinct  acts;  but  teach  baptizing.  And,  as 
such  a  work  might  seem  almost  too  great  for 
their  faith,  he  adds  that  he  (who  had  all  power) 
would  be  with  them  in  the  work,  and  that  to  the 
end  of  the  world. 

It  is  plain  that  this  commission,  as  it  enjoins 
a  very  special  kind  of  teaching,  such  as  shoujd 
baptize  the  people  into  true  discipleship,  as 
members  of  the  body,  the  church  of  Christ; 
so  it  could  not  be  executed  but  by  a  supernatu- 
ral assistance  received  from  on  high.  "  Behold" 
(said  Christ)  "  I  send  the  promise  of  my  Father 
upon  you;  but  tarry  ye  in  the  city  of  Jerusa- 
lem, until  ye  be  endued  with  power  irom  on 
high,"  Luke  xxiv.  49.  "  John  truly  baptized 
with  water,  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the 
Holy  Ghost  not  many  days  hence,"  Acts  i.  v. 
"  Ye  shall  receive  power  after  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  come  upon  you  ;  and  ye  shall  be  wit- 
nesses unto  me,  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all 
Judea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost 
part  of  the  earth,"  verse  8.  Thus  evident  it  is, 
that  their  being  living  witnesses  of  Christ  de- 
pended on  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  coming 
upon  them:  and  that  they  could  never  adminis- 
ter his  baptism,  till  they  were  thereby  so  endu- 
ed,  as  to  teach  baptizing  into  the  same  Spirit 


88  THE   BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

themselves  were  baptized  with.— This  baptism 
iivo  the  name,  they  in  due  time  so  eminently  re- 
ceived, as  they  waited  for  it  according  to  direc- 
tion— "  with  one  accord  in  one  place,"  Acts  ii.  i ; 
that  is  probably  in  silent  retirement,  waiting 
upon  God ;  that  in  the  power  thereof  »hey 
taught  with  such  baptizhig  efficacy,  that  n  alti- 
tudes were  pricked  in  their  heart,  Acts  ii.  37. 
The  Holy  Ghost  fell  upon  them  which  heard  the 
7uord,  chap.  x.  44.  Their  very  enemies  were  not 
able  to  resist  the  wisdom  and  the  spirit  by  which 
they  spake,  as  chap.  vi.  10.  Thus  truly  "  with 
great  power  gave  the  Apostles  witness  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus/'  chap.  iv.  33. 
And  thus  they  preached  the  gospel  unto  the 
people,  "  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from 
heaven,"  1  Peter  i.  12.  No  wonder  then  \tfell 
on  those  who  in  true  faith,  that  was  of  the  ope- 
ration of  God,  received  the  word,  and  gladly 
embraced  the  gospel.  Christ  promised,  "  he 
that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  scripture  hath  said, 
out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water; 
but  this  spake  he  of  the  Spirit,  which  they  that 
believe  on  him  should  receive,"  John  vii.  38,  39. 
And  what  can  be  more  natural  than  for  it  to 
flow  into  others,  as  it  flows  out  of  them  ?  espe- 
cially as  Christ's  express  direction  was,  "  freely 
ye  have  received,  freely  give."  It  seems  the 
Spirit  not  only  flows  into,  and  continues  to  flow 
in  the  hearts  of  true  believers,  but  more  or  less 
flows  out  of  them  upon  others;  for  they  are,  as 
Christ  testifies,  the  "  light  of  the  world,"  Matt. 
v.  14;  "  the  salt  of  the  earth  "  13;  "  a  city  set 
upon  an  hill,"  14,  &c.  He  promised  to  make 
his  disciples  "  fishers  of  men." 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  89 

Some  affirm,  no  man  can  baptize  with  the  Ho- 
ly Ghost— truly  none  can,  in  his  own  time  and 
ability;  nor  <  an  any  preach  the  gospel  but  by 
divine  assistance.  All  true  gospel  ministry  is  in 
the  life  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  wherever  it 
proves  effectual  to  the  conversion  of  souls,  it  is 
a  baptizing  ministry.  None  are  fishers  of  men, 
but  who  are  made  so  by  Christ:  learning  and 
eloquence  may  amuse,  but  it  is  the  Holy  Ghost 
sent  down  from  Heaven  that  makes  gospel  preach- 
ers. This  sheds  itself  through  such  in  a  blessed 
diffusion  upon  others ,  oft-times,  in  a  very  lively, 
instructive  and  soul-benefiting  manner.  And 
this  is  a  thing  as  experimentally  known,  where 
the  real  gospel,  which  is  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation,  is  preached  in  the  life,  evidence  and 
demonstration  of  the  Spirit,  and  with  power, 
as  any  gospel  experience  whatever ;  and  it  is 
strange  to  hear  Christians  deny  it. 

Does  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  in  our  day 
succeed  or  not  to  the  real  benefit  of  souls?  ft 
not,  it  is  useless.  If  it  does,  what  causes  the  be- 
nefit ?  Is  it  of  God,  or  of  man  ?  Art  thou  so 
vain,  oh!  man,  as  to  think  thou  canst  do  any 
spiritual  good  of  thyself,  unassisted  by  the  spi- 
rit of  Christ  ?  It  this  is  thy  idea,  thou  art  no 
true  gospel  minister;  for  they  know  they  can  do 
nothing  of  themselves.— If  thou  art  sensible  of 
the  help,  life  and  assistance  of  the  holy  Spirit 
in  thy  ministry,  and  of  a  divine  and  beneficial 
influence  on  the  minds  of  those  who  partake  of 
it,  thou  mayest  rest  assured,  that  so  far  as  it  is 
truly  so,  it  is  through  the  operation  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  on  their  hearts;  and  whatever  be  the  de. 

I 


90  THE    BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

gree  of  this,  more  or  less,  thy  ministry  is  so  far, 
and  no  further,  a  baptizing  ministry;  so  far, 
and  no  further,  it  is  truly  the  ministry  of  the 
gospel.  And  it  is  thus,  and  only  thus,  that  it 
pleaseth  "  God,  through  the  foolishness  of  preach- 
ing, to  save  them  that  believe,"  1  Cor.  i.  21.— 
It  is  very  unlikely  that  any  should  be  saved 
through  preaching  unless  thereby  baptized  with 
the  one  saving  baptism;  for  nothing  else  ever 
can  save.  Hence  clear  it  is,  that  through  true 
gospel  preaching,  this  baptism  is  administered 
to  them  that  believe;  the  word  preached  being 
mixed  with  faith  in  them  that  hear  it.  And  no 
ministry  that  is  not  in  its  own  nature,  life  and 
influence,  baptizing,  is  in  any  degree  the  genu- 
ine ministry  of  the  gospel.— But,  thanks  be  un- 
to God,  there  is  yet  preserved  a  living,  powerful 
and  heart-baptizing  ministry ;  and  many  are  the 
living  witnesses  of  it,  and  of  its  blessed  effects. 
-—And  I  am  well  confirmed,  that  no  rightly  quali. 
lied  gospel  minister  can  doubt  of  the  baptizing  in. 
rluence  of  right  ministry.  He  who  knows  Christ, 
living,  acting  and  speaking  in  him,  knows  that 
which  alone  baptizes  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
with  fire.  "  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me,"  says 
Christ  to  his  Father,  John  xvii.  23.  And  many 
other  texts  declare  Christ  in  us;  and  true  and 
blessed  experience  indubitably  confirms  it.  What 
then  can  be  too  hard  for  his  ministers,  in  and 
under  his  influence?  Paul  says,  "  I  can  do  all 
things  through  Christ,  which  strengtheneth  me," 
Phil.  iv.  13.  But  Christ  himself  puts  the  mat- 
ter beyond  all  reasonable  dispute,  John  xiv.  i2 ; 
and  he  asserts  it  with  "  a  verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  you,  he  that  believeth  on  me,  the  works 
that    I   do  he  shall  do  ;    and    greater     works 


.       A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  91 

than  these  shall  he  do;  because  I  go  to  my  Fa- 
ther." Hence  Paul  says,  "I  have  begotten  you, 
through  the  gospel,"  1  Cor.  iv.  15 ;  and  speaks 
of  imparting  spiritual  gifts,  Rom.  i.  11.  Hence, 
on  the  laying  on  of  the  Apostles  hands,  "the 
Holy  Ghost  was  given,"  Acts  viii.  18.  Hence, 
as  Peter  began  to  speak  to  the  household  of  Cor- 
nelius, the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  them.  And  hence 
Christ  says  (in  consideration  that  it  was  he  who 
spake  in  his  disciples,  and  his  Father  in  him,  and 
so  in  them)  "  he  ihat  receiveth  you,  receiveth 
?ne;  and  he  that  receiveth  me,  receiveth  him 
that  sent  me,"  Mat.  x.  40.  On  this  ground  Paul 
calls  himself"  the  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  to 
the  Gentiles ;  ministering  the  gospel  of  God, 
that  the  ottering  up  of  the  Gentiles  might  be 
acceptable,  being  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost,1' 
Rom.  xv.  16.  And  verse  18  he  adds,  "for  I 
will  not  dare  to  speak  of  any  ot  these  things,  which 
Christ  hath  not  wrought  by  me"  Well  then 
might  he  speak  of  ministering  the  gospel,  which 
is  the  power  of  God;  seeing  it  was  all  the  work 
of  Christ  by  him,  and  resulted  in  sanctification, 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  baptizing  power  of  the 
gospel.  Indeed  the  very  design  of  the  gospel 
ministry  is  to  open  people's  eyes,  and  to  turn 
them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  powr- 
er  of  Satan  unto  God,"  Acts  xxvi.  18. 

This  ministry  lays  the  axe  to  the  root  of  the 
corrupt  trees  in  men's  hearts,  and  therein  is  exe- 
cuting the  very  work  of  Christ.  It  is  truly  Christ 
that  does  the  work  but  he  works  much  by  in- 
struments: John  was  a  great  instrument  in  his 
hand  ;  his  ministry  was  very  useful  in  helping  to 


.92  THE    BAPTISM   OP    CHRIST 

kindle  that  Jire  which  was  to  burn  up  the  char/'. 
He  powerfully  taught  the  necessity  of  this  fiery 
baptism,  and  of  renouncing  all  dependence  on 
being  Abraham's  children.  This  was  a  good 
beginning,  and  was  a  very  necessary  preparation 
for  Christ,  who  had  afterwards  still  further,  and 
pressingly  too,  to  combat  and  alarm  that  disposi- 
tion, perhaps  as  prevalent  noivus  at  that  day; 
and  that  among  too  many  professing  Christians, 
may  I  not  say,  of  all  denominations?  I  belong 
to  this  or  that  reformed  and  truly  religious  soci- 
ety ;  we  are  in  the  true  faith  and  practice  of  the 
Apostles.  Here  thousands  stick  in  a  lifeless  pro- 
fession, as  to  thernselvcs  ;  and  yet  imagine  them- 
selves the  true  seed  and  offspring  of  Abraham, 
spiritually.  And  it  is  very  hard  removing  them 
from  their  strong  holds,  or  making  them  sensi- 
ble of  the  need  of  the  axe  and  the^re.  John's 
ministry  was  to  such,  doubtless,  truly  awakening. 
And  then,  as  already  observed,  his  dipping  them, 
not  partly,  but  all  over  in  water,  was  a  lively 
and  very  striking  representation  of  the  baptism 
whereby  Christ  thoroughly  cleanseth  the  floor  of 
the  heart.  And  to  point  out  this,  and  to  enkin- 
dle a  desire  to  experience  it,  was  all  that  out- 
ward dipping  could  do,  save  to  wash  away  the 
outward  filth  of  the  flesh.  It  could  do  nothing 
in  itself  towards  real  remission  of  sins;  that  is 
the  work  of  Christ,  and  the  soul  is  brought  to 
experience  it  through  his  baptism.  Hence  John 
was  very  careful  to  prevent  the  idea  of  his  own 
baptism  being  saving.  He  never  once  speaks  of 
it,  that  I  recollect,  but  he  adds  the  word  water, 
to  turn  the  mind  from  resting  in  it,  as  a  thing  in 
any  wise  profitable,  further  than  as  it  represented 


-      A   GOSPEL  ORDINANCE.  93 

a  perfect  cleansing  and   purification  by  Christ's; 
and  engaged  them   to  press  after  it.     I  indeed 
baptize  you  with  water,  but  Christ  shall  baptize 
you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and   fire,  and  thereby 
cleanse  you  thoroughly  within,  as  I  wash,  or  dip 
you  all  over  outwardly,  is  the  import  of  John's 
testimony.     And    three  times,   in  eight   verses, 
speaking  of    his   own    baptism,    he  every  time 
carefully  adds  the  word  water,  in  contradistinction 
to  Christ's.    First,  being  examined  why  he  bap- 
tized, if  he  was  not  Christ,  Elias,  nor  that  pro- 
phet ;  it  seems  he  thought  it  apology  enough  to 
tell  them,  John  i.  26,  "  I  baptize  with  water*" 
and  refer    them  to   Christ   for  gospel  baptism, 
that  is  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     For  outward  water 
being  no  part  of  Christ's  baptism,  but  being  long 
before  then   in  some  sort   practized   among  the 
Jews,  it  was  no  intrusion  into  Christ's  office  for 
John  to  baptize  with  it.     So  that  this  short  an- 
swer of  John,  that  he  only  baptized  with  water 
{an  old  practice)  an  outward,  and  comparatively 
a  low  thing,  entirely  different  from  Christ's  bap- 
tism, and  no  par*  of  it,  was  amply  sufficient  to 
exculpate   John   from  any  just   imputation  of 
meddling  with  things  too  high  for  him,  or  belong- 
ing to  another.     But  further  to  evince  how  care- 
ful John  was  to  keep  up  the  distinction  that  for- 
ever exists,   in  the  very  ground  and  nature  of 
them,    between   his  baptism   and   Christ's— we 
iind  that  in  the  31st  verse  he  again  dwells  on  or 
repeats  this  important  distinction,  by  the  word 
water,  "  that  he  should  be  made  manifest  to  Is- 
rael, therefore  am  1  come  baptizing  with  water" 
and  no  further  on  than  the  next   verse  but  one, 
the  33d,  he  again  holds  up  the  same  distinction  ; 
I  2 


94  THE   BAPTISM   OF   CHRIST 

"  he  that  sent  me  to  baptize  with  water,  the 
same  said  unto  me,  upon  whom  thou  shalt  see 
the  Spirit  descending  and  remaining  on  him,  the 
same  is  he  which  baptizeth  with  the  Holy  Ghost.'7 
— One  would  think  this  three-fold  testimony,  all 
in  so  short  a  time,  might  satisfy  every  sober 
mind,  that  water  baptism,  and  that  of  Christ, 
are  entirely  two  distinct  and  separate  things ;  and 
more  especially,  as  touching  water,  it  is  very 
particularly  recorded  that  Jesus  himself  baptized 
not.  He  might  and  did,  with  a  great  deal  of 
wisdom  and  condescending  goodness,  as  noted 
before,  allow  his  diciples  to  do  it,  in  that  weak 
and  early  state  and  stage  of  things,  before  all 
the  shadows  could  well  be  laid  aside,  their  minds 
not  being  then  able  to  bear  it :  "I  have  yet  ma- 
ny things  to  say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  bear 
them  now,"  John  xvi.  12.  And  as  the  diciples 
did,  through  this  all-wise  permission,  baptize 
considerable  numbers,  and  that  upon  their  faith 
in  and  following  Jesus,  and  becoming  his  disci- 
ples, it  was  but  natural  for  the  people  to  consi- 
der it  as  if  Christ  had  done  it  himself.  Nor  is 
it  at  all  strange  therefore  that  "  the  Pharisees 
had  heard  that  Jesus  made  and  baptized  more 
disciples  than  John  (though  Jesus  himself  bap- 
tized not,  but  his  disciples')  John  iv.  1,  2. 
And  as  what  a  man  does  by  others,  he  is  often 
called  the  doer  of;  so  the  people  then  (suppos- 
ing the  disciples  baptized  by  Christ's  authority 
and  commission,  because  they  were  his  disci- 
ples and  followers  wTiom  they  so  baptized)  said 
he  baptized;  but  it  is  clear  enough  that  he  only 
-uffered  it,  and  that  in  condescension ;  nor  do  I 
believe  it  would  ever  have  been  so  carefully  re- 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  95 

corded  that  he  himself  baptized  not,  had  outward 
water  been  any  part  of  his  baptism ;  but  his  bap* 
tism  being  quite  another  thing,  he  saw   it  pro- 
per wholly  to  avoid  ministering  outward  water 
as    an   ordinance;   and    that    probably    lest  it 
should  countenance  an  idea  that  it  belonged  to 
his  gospel  and  kingdom ;  and  so  strengthen  the 
already  too  strong  attachment   of  the  people  to 
things  outward  ;  and    to  prevent  this  in  after 
times,  it  was  also  proper  that  it  should  be  ex- 
pressly recorded  that  "  Jesus  himself  baptized 
not;'*  and  in  confirmation  of  these  sentiments  it 
may  be  observed,   that  he   never  once  on   any 
occasion   enjoined  it  on   any    to  baptize,  or  be 
baptized,  in  water— we  read  particularly  what  he 
did,  and  what  he  ordered  done,  on  divers  particular 
occasions.  Many  believed  on  him,  many  he  healed, 
and  cast  out  devils :  but  never  a  word  that  he  either 
baptized  any  of  these,  or  ordered  them  baptized 
in  water.— We  read  expressly,  that  he  directed 
one  to  go  and  offer  for  his  cleansing  "  the  gift 
that  Moses  commanded,  for  a  testimony  unto 
them,"  Mat.  viii.  4.  Another  he  ordered  to  "  go 
wash  in  the  pool  of  Siloam,"  John   ix.  7-'  but 
not  an  instance  of  any  one  ordered  by  him  to  be 
baptized  by    another  in  water.     But  had  water 
baptism  been  his,  or  any   part  of  his  gospel,  it 
would  have  been  a  strange  thing  indeed  had  he 
never  vouchsafed  once  to   administer  it,  nor  or- 
der it  done  on  any  of  the   multitudes  that  be- 
lieved on  him,  or  out  of  whom  he  cast  devils, 
or  whom  he  healed.     And  even   this  omission 
alone,  it  prevailing  throughout  the  whole  history 
of  his  life,  both  before  and  after  his  resurrection. 


96  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

were  in  my  view  sufficient  to  overthrow  the 
notion  of  water  baptism-  being  a  gospel  ordi- 
nance. 

What!  appoint  a  solemn  ordinance,  even   a 
sacrament  (as  some  call  it)  of  perpetualob)iga« 
tion  in  the  church,  and  never  once  dei%n  to  ad- 
minister it,  or  order  it  administered  10  any  indi- 
vidual, among  all  the   thousands  who  became 
his  disciples  ?  This  were  strange  indeed  ;  and  to 
me  is  quite   incredible,  and    inadmissible.     In- 
deed among  all  the  very  pointed    and  remarka- 
ble prophecies  concerning  Christ,  there  is  not 
one  in  all  the  Old  Testament   that    points    him 
out  as  the  administrator  of  water  baptism,  or  as 
establishing  a  church  or  kingdom   accompanied 
with  any   such  outward   ordinances.     The  Fa- 
ther, by  Isaiah,  speaks  of  him  as  the  Lord's  Elect, 
in  whom  his  soul  delighteth;  declaring,  Is.  xlii. 
1,  "  I  have   put  my  Spirit   upon  him"— giving 
him  M  for  a  covenant    to   the  people,  for  a  light 
to  the  Gentiles,  to  open  blind  eyes,  to  bring  out 
the   prisoners,  and  them  that  sit  in   darkness," 
&c.  and  further,  "  behold  the  former  things  are 
come  to  pass,  and  new  things  do  I  declare ;  be- 
fore they  spring  forth,  I  tell  you  of  them.     But 
not  a  word,  among  all  these  new   things ,  of  his 
baptizing  in   outward  water.     His  work  was  to 
bring  forth  judgment  unto  truth,  enlighten  the 
Gentiles,     bring  out   of    prison    and  darkness, 
"  bring   the  blind  by  a  way  they  knew  not,"  an 
inward   spiritual  way;  not  the     way   of  signs, 
shadows,  and  outward  ordinances— these  were 
ihe  old  things. — "   I  will  lead    them   in    paths 
that   they   have   not   known.*'     These  are  2«- 
ward. 


"       A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE  97 

Again,  Is.  iii.  13,  '*  behold  my  servant  shall 
'Jeal  prudently,"  &c— 15,  "so  shall  he  sprinkle 
many  nations,"  &c.  He  was  indeed  more  truly 
wise  and  prudent,  than  to  practise  or  esteem 
outward  sprinkling  or  dipping  as  a  gospel  ordi- 
nance; his  is  a  spiritual  sprinkling,  as  explained 
Ez.  xxxvi.  25,  "  then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  wa- 
ter upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be  clean,"  The  2Sth 
and  27  th  verses  promise  a  new  heart,  and  new 
spirit— the  Lord's  Spirit  put  within  them. 
Such  things  as  these  did  the  prophets  foretel— 
but  not  once  in  all  their  predictions,  of  return, 
reformation,  restoration,  and  building  the  waste 
places,  and  the  like,  do  they  ever  mention  or 
hint  at  Christ's  baptizing  with  water,  or  estab- 
lishing any  such  kind  of  srndowy  institutions  in 
his  glorious  gospel  Church.  Nor  did  Christ, 
when  he  came,  ever  once,  that  we  read  of,  call 
that  of  water  his  baptism.  Indeed  it  is  never 
once  so  called  in  all  the  Bible,  that  I  can  find. 
And,  moreover,  I  do  not  find  that  Christ  ever 
called  it  by  any  other  name  than  John's  baptism. 
And  is  it  not  wonderful,  that  he  should  con« 
stantly,  and  as  often  as  he  spake  of  water  bap- 
tism, call  it  John's,  if  it  was  as  truly  his  ow;«,as 
Johns?  Or  how  can  we  suppose  he  ordained  it 
as  a  standing  ordinance  in  his  church,  and  yet 
never  mentioned  it  once  as  such?— Why  should 
he  leave  his  followers,  to  the  world's  end,  under 
lh*  great  difficulties  and  disadvantages  of  such 
a  totul  silence,  if  he  willed  them  to  use  it  as  his 
baptism?  Was  Moses  more  faithful  in  his  house, 
than  Christ  in  his?  Moses  was  very  particular 
in  describing  the  rituals  of  the  law,  even  to  very 
minute  circumstances:  and  would  Christ  ordain 


98  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

a  perpetual  institution,  and  never  once  call  it  bis 
own  but  a'ways  call  it  John's  f  He  knew  very  well 
that  both  himself,  John,  and  others,  called  and 
understood  water  baptism  to  be  John's.  He  also 
knew  his  own  was  repeatedly  placed  in  direct 
contradistinction  to  it — and  said  to  be  with  the  Ho- 
ly Ghost.  So  that  in  commissioning  his  disci- 
ples to  administer  his  own  baptism,  there  was 
no  need  to  describe  it  over  again ;  for  it  had 
been  so  often  expressly  defined,  and  distinguish- 
ed from  that  of  water,  that  he  might  well  sup- 
pose no  real  disciple  of  his  need  be  at  a  loss  to 
know  what  he  meant  by  the  word  baptizing  in 
his  great  gospel  commission— and  especially  af- 
ter having  so  abundantly,  and  on  so  many  occa- 
sions, taught  them  the  inward  and  spiritual  na- 
ture of  his  kingdom,  and  so  Tepeatedly  turned 
their  minds  from  outward  observations,  to  inward 
realities. 

But  had  he  instituted  water  baptism,  after  all 
this,  as  a  gospel  ordinance,  it  would  have  been 
highly  requisite  for  him  to  have  expressed  it  to 
be  water,  in  the  most  particular  manner — much 
more  so  than  if  his  baptism  had  never  been 
named  as  different  from  water.  He  might  well 
know  his  followers  would  be  apt  to  conclude  he 
instituted  his  own  baptism,  and  not  one  which 
had  so  repeatedly  been  expressly  distinguished 
therefrom.  He  might  well  know  that  those 
whose  minds  were,  at  least  in  degree,  opened 
by  his  repeated  endeavours  to  turn  them  from 
things  outward  to  things  inward,  from  signs  to 
substance,  would  not  be  unlikely  to  understand 
his  words  to  mean  spiritually;  instead  of  turning 


-    A   GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  S9 

back,  to  suppose  him  now  at  last  bringing  them 
in  bondage  to  weak  and  beggarly  elements. 
He  had  comforted  their  sorrowful  souls  with  a 
promise  of  coming  again  to  them  in  spirit,  and 
taking  up  his  abode  with  them,  and  thus  remain- 
ing with  them  to  the  end  of  the  world.— Almost 
every  thing  he  had  said  to  rhem,  for  some  time 
past,  had  tended  directly,  and  indeed  been  by 
him  designed,  to  lead  inward,  and  to  a  spiritual 
discerning  and  understanding  of  things;  so  that 
had  he  now,  just  before  he  left  them,  turned 
back,  and  in  direct  contradiction  to  the  very 
nature  of  his  gospel  and  kingdom,  and  to  the 
whole  scope  and  tenor  of  his  own  excellent  pa- 
rables and  discourses,  instituted  an  outward  bap- 
tism or  supper,  it  might  surely  be  expected  he 
would  have  told  them  expressly  what  he  inten- 
ded—nor can  I  suppose  he  would  by  any  means 
have  omitted  it.— I  am  so  well  assured  of  the 
spirituality  of  the  gospel,  and  of  Christ's  doc- 
trines and  discourses,  that  I  cannot  entertain 
the  least"  idea,  but  that  had  he  established  out- 
ward signs,  he  would  have  very  explicitly  declared 
them  to  be  outward.— Others  may  think  other- 
wise. But  though  I  have  great  charity  and 
good-will  for  many  who  adhere  to  those  signs,  I 
cannot  but  think,  that  were  they  come  to  have  a 
full  view  of  the  purity  of  the  gospel  state,  and 
a  clear  understanding  of  the  drift  and  design  of 
Christ's  many  hints,  intimations,  and  heavenly 
communications  to  his  disciples,  they  must  see 
the  total  abolition  of  all  the  mere  rituals,  both 
of  John  and  of  Moses. 

It  is  often  urged,  that  Christ's  disciples  bap- 
tized in  water.    I  conceive  this  no  more  per- 


100  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

petuates  water  baptism,  than  their  circumcising, 
purifying,  shaving,  vows,  anointing  the  sick 
with  oil,  abstaining  from  blood  and  fr^m  things 
Strangled,  pt-rperuate  these  things  in  the  church. 
— These  two  last  were  expressly  enjoined  by 
the  elders,  even  upon  the  Gentiles,  and  that  af- 
ter deliberate  constdtratirn  and  debate,  at  the 
time  of  the  great  Council  at  Jerusalem,  Acts 
15,  though  at  the  same  time,  through  assistance 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  they  decreed  against  circum- 
cising the  Geutiles,  and  considered  circumcision 
as  an  uneasy  yoke;  yet  in  the  beginning  of  the 
very  next  chapter,  we  read  hat  Paul,  though 
he  and  Timothy  had  these  very  decrees  to  d*  li- 
ver, to  be  kept  as  they  passed  through  the  cities, 
even  at  such  a  juncture  as  this,  he  acted  so 
greatly  in  condescension  to  the  weakness  of  the 
Jews,  that  he  circumcised  Timothy,  because  of 
them ;  and  after  he  had  passed  on,  and  they  had 
delivered  said  decrees,  on  his  return  again  to 
Jeiusalem,  all  the  elders,  with  James  (who 
had  pointedly  decided  against  circumcision  in 
regard  to  the  Gentiles)  told  Paul  that  many  thou- 
sands of  the  Jews  believed ;  that  they  were 
zealous  of  circumcision  and  the  law  of  Mosts,  and 
advised  him  to  purify  himself,  and  be  at  charges, 
&c.  with  four  men  that  had  a  vow  ;  that  so  those 
over  zealous  J  ews  might  see  he  kept  the  law,  and 
walked  orderly,  Acts  xxi.  SO — 24.  And  yet  in 
the  next  verse  they  say  ,  uas  touching  the  Gen- 
tiles which  believe,  we  have  written  and  conclu- 
ded that  they  observe  no  such  thing,"  &c.  So 
we  read,  2fj,  "  then  P;ml  took  the  men,  and  the 
next  day  purifying  himself  with  them,  entered 
into  the  temple,  to  signify   the  accomplishment 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  101 

of  the  days  of  purification,  until  that  an  offer- 
ing should  be  ottered  for  evtry  one  of  them." 
So  very  great  was  the  condescension  of  the  pri- 
mitive Apostles  and  elders  to  the  weak  state  of 
the  people  in  those  early  times.— To  the  weak, 
Paul  says  he  became  weak,  yea  that  he  was 
made  all  things  to  all  men,  that  he  might  save 
some,  1  Cor.  ix.  22;  and  this  he  expressly  de- 
clares he  did  for  the  gospel's  sake,  verse  23— Yea,; 
further  he  says  expressly,  he  caught  them  with 
guile,  9  Cor.  xii.  16,  This  kind  of  condescen- 
ding guile  they  doubtless  thought  necessary  m 
those  times  of  weakness  and  zeal  for  ordinances. 
Paul's  knowledge  of  Christ  was  by  revelation,  and 
s6  he  saw  clearly  beyond  those  outside  things, 
and  knew  that  neither  they,  nor  water  baptism, 
could  possibly  belong  to  the  gospel.  Hence, 
though  on  the  same  principle  of  condescension 
he  baptized  a  few,  he  thanked  God  it  was  so 
very  few ;  and  declared  he  was  not  sent  com- 
misioned  to  do  it,  1  Cor.  i.  17.  Had  he  not. 
known  it  was  not  Christ's  baptism,  nor  within 
the  great  commission,  he  would  not  have  dared 
to  affront  his  Lord,  by  thanking  him  that  he  had 
so  almost  totally  neglected  his  great  gospel  ordi- 
nance.—Paul's  commission  to  the  Gentiles,  Acts 
xxvi.  18,  is  expressly  "  to  open  their  eyes,  and  to 
turn  them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the 
power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that  they  may  receive 
forgiveness  of  sins,  and  inheritance  among  them 
which  are  sanctified,  by  faith  that  is  in  me." 
This  is  as  full,  and  contains  the  very  sum  and 
essence  of  the  general  commission,  Mat.  xxviii. 
19.  &c.  and  Mark  xvi.  only  that  it  seems  confi- 
ned to  the  Gentiles. 

K 


102  THE    BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

The  general  commission  is,  to  teach  all  na- 
tions, baptizing  them  into  the  name,  &c.  and 
declares  that  he  that  believeth,  and  is  so  bapti- 
zed, shall  be  saved.— Paul's  commission  was  to 
open  the  eyes  of  the  Gentiles  and  turn  them 
from  darkness  to  the  light,  and  from  the  power 
of  Satan  to  God.  And  if  any  can  doubt 
whether  this  is  the  same  baptizing  ministry  of 
the  gospel,  mentioned  in  the  more  general  com- 
mission, let  the  concluding  words  of  Paul's 
commission  be  duly  weighed,  "  that  they  may 
receive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  inheritance 
among  them  which  are  sanctified,  by  faith  that 
is  in  me."— Here  they  were  not  only  to  receive 
forgiveness  of  sins,  but  the  same  inheritance 
with  all  the  other  sanctified,  and  that  through 
the  same  faith ;  for  thus  believing,  they  were 
baptized  through  the  powerful  ministry  of  the 
Apostle,  which  was  in  the  evidence  and  demon- 
stration of  the  Spirit,  &c.  into  the  life,  power, 
and  virtue  of  the  same  eternal  name:  they  were 
turned  truly  unto  God  ;  and  thus  truly  believing, 
and  being  livingly  and  sanctifyingly  baptized 
into  the  same  holy  name,  and  into  the  same  hea- 
venly inheritance,  and  therein  abiding  the  pro- 
mise that  ihey  shall  be  saved,  was  equally  in 
force  to  them,  as  to  others  so  believing  and  be- 
ing so  baptized  :  that  if  there  is  any  essential 
difference  in  these  two  commissions,  as  to  what 
was  to  be  done  by  those  sent  forth  in  the  execu- 
tion of  them,  I  have  not  yet  discovered  it,  ex- 
cept in  Paul's  limitation  to  the  Gentiles,  and  I 
have  not  the  least  doubt,  but  that  Paul  did,  in 
the  execution  of  this  commission,  as  truly  bap- 
tize into  the  name  cf  the  Father,  Son,  and  Ho- 


-    A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  103 

jy  Ghost,  as  ever  an  Apostle  of  Christ  did,  un- 
der the  general  commission;  yea,  did  adminis- 
ter the  very  same  baptism  therein  enjoined,  that 
is  Christ's  and  not  John's.  I  am  full  in  the 
faith,  that  Paul  well  knew  the  general  commis- 
sion contained  no  precept  for  water  baptism. 
He  knew  too  well  the  nature  and  spirituality  of 
Christ's  kingdom,  to  suppose  it  did—and  there- 
fore doing  what  he  did,  at  baptizing  with  wa- 
ter, in  mere  condescension,  he  might  as  well, 
when  he  saw  the  abuse  made  of  it,  thank  God 
that  he  had  done  no  more— as  he  might  that  he 
had  circumcised  no  more;  for  as  neither  circum- 
cision nor  uncircumcision,  simpty,  is  any  thing 
in  this  kingdom  ;  so  neither  is  baptism  nor  non- 
baptism  in  water,  simply,  any  thing  at  all  there- 
in— but  the  new'  creature:  and  this  is  all  in  ail 
in  this  spiritual  kingdom. 

Some  may  think  I  make  very  bold  with  gos- 
pel ordinances,  as  they  call  them;  but  although 
I  feel  tenderness  towards  many  who  think  them 
such,  I  am  at  no  loss  in  pronouncing  them  no 
real  parts  of  the  gospel.  And  if  they  had  been, 
why  did  not  the  great  Council  at  Jerusalem, 
when  it  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Ghost  and  to 
them  to  lay  upon  the  Gentiles  no  greater  bur- 
then than  the  few  things  they  then  named,  men- 
tion water  baptism,  and  the  bread  and  wine,  as 
things  necessary  to  be  punctually  observed  ?  Paul 
was  in  that  Council ;  and  he  knew  water  baptism 
was  designed  that  Christ "  might  be  made  mani- 
fest to  Israel"— and  did  not  wish  the  Gentiles  bur- 
thened  with  it,  any  more  than  with  circumci- 
sion.    He  and  others,  as  occasion  might  seem 


104  THE    BAPTISM    GF    CHRIST 

to  require,  in  becoming  all  things  to  all  men, 
in  those  early  times  of  weakness  and  misguided 
zeal  for  externals,  might  condescend  to  baptize 
ehther  a  Jew  or  a  Gentile:  but  neither  the 
one  nor  the  other  could  any  more  be  brought 
under  this  sign,  as  a  gospel  ordinance,  than  un- 
der  the  many  signs  and  symbols  of  the  Mosaic 
law.  I  could  go  through  every  instance  record- 
ed in  Scripture,  where  it  was  used  by  the  Apos» 
ties,  and  I  think  clearly  evince,  that  in  no  one 
case  it  was  used,  as  strictly  pertaining  to  the 
kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  nor  under  or  according 
to  his  great  gospel  commission:  but  so  much  of 
this  kind  has  been  done  by  others,  as  Dell,  Bar- 
clay, Peun,  Pike,  Claridge,  Forster,  Phipps, 
Fothergill,  &c.  that  I  think  it  not  necessary  to 
be  so  particular;  firmly  believing,  that  when 
men  lay  aside  all  preconceived  opinions,  and 
look  fully  and  fairly  into  the  nature  and  design 
of  the  gospel,  in  the  true  light  and  life  of  it, 
they  must  unavoidably  see  all  these  "  old  things 
done  away ;"  and  perceive  how  earnest  Paul  in 
particular  was,  to  prevent  the  believers  from 
degenerating  into  an  attachment  to  and  reliance 
on  things  outward.  Read  the  whole  epistle  to 
the  Galatians ;  it  abounds  with  his  care  on  this 
account.  And  if  we  go  to  the  bottom  of  things, 
we  shall  find  the  same  need  of  pressing  forward 
to  the  disuse  of  water  baptism,  as  of  other  ce- 
remonials. It  is  as  mere  a  ceremony,  as  mere- 
ly figurative,  as  was  circumcision,  or  any  of  the 
divers  washings;  has  no  more  in  its  nature  or 
effects  to  support  its  continuance ;  and  is  no 
more  perpetuated  among  the  precepts  and  in- 
junctions of  Jesus, 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE  10* 


CHAPTER  Y 


Remarks  on  several  passages  in  "  A  plain  Account  ol 
the  Ordinance  of  Baptism"  (as  the  Author  calls  it.)  Il< 
is  or  was  a  sensible  writer ;  but  striving  to  unite  old 
shadows  with  the  gospel,  he,  like  all  who  attempt  it, 
blunders.  Christ  takes  the  lambs  in  his  bosom,  and 
bears  with  much  weakness.  The  vail  is  done  away  in 
Christ.  He  is  the  end  of  all  things.  His  are  not  suL 
ject  to  ordinances,  in  things  that  perish  with  the  using. 
If  all  waited  God's  sending,  water  baptism,  &c.  would 
cease,  and  preaching  would  all  be  in  baptizing  efficacy. 
The  non-experience  of  this,  a  cause  of  doubt  in  many, 
whether  gospel  ministry  is  baptizing.  Christ's  minis- 
ters not  always  ready,  but  minister  the  Spirit  to  others, 
as  it  is  given  them.  The  words  '«  into  the  name  of  the 
Father,"  &c.  not  a  form  to  use  in  so  low  an  act  as  that 
of  water  baptism.  Hence  never  once  so  used  by  the 
Primitives  ;  but  doubtless  would  have  been,  had  ivater 
been  the  baptism  of  the  commission.  Peter's  com- 
manding baptism  at  Cornelius',  no  more  perpetuates  it, 
than  Paul's  baptizing  Crispus  and  Gaius,  though  not 
scut  to  do  it;  nor  any  more  than  the  use  of  circumci- 
sion, purifying,  anointing  with  oil,  &c.  perpetuate  them. 
The  name  is  the  virtue,  power,  &c.  Christ  Lord  of  the 
Sabbath-day — and  of  all  figurative  institutions.  Made 
under  the  law,  to  redeem  those  under  it.  Then  John 
was  under  it,  so  his  baptism  ended.  It  was  in  some 
sort  used  under  the  law,  long  before  John.  Old  rituals 
not  to  be  incorporated  into  Christ's  pure  religion  and 
worship.  His  talk  with  the  woman  of  Samaria,  and. 
with  John's  disciples,  import  this.  His  fast  is  in- 
ward. 

IT  is  remarkable  how  strongly  the  advocates 
for  dipping  or  plunging  insist,  in  their  argu- 
ments   against  the  Psedo-Baptists,  or  such   as 
sprinkle  infants,  upon  a  plain,  full  and  expre*? 
K  2 


106'  THE   BAPTISM   OF   CHRIST 

command*  This  I  think  they  pretty  generally 
maintain  to  be  necessary.  The  Author  of  "  A 
plain  Account  of  the  Ordinance  of  Baptism/'  as 
he  calls  it,  and  who  seems  to  be  as  sensible  a 
writer  asalmostany  I  have  read  in  defence  of  wa- 
ter baptism  by  immersion,  maintains  these  pro- 
positions, page  4,  Bost.  edit. 

"  I.  The  receiving  of  baptism  is  not  a  duty 
of  itself,  or  a  duty  apparent  to  us  from  the  na- 
ture of  things;  but  a  duty  made  such  to  Chris- 
tians by  the  positive  institution  of  Jesus  Christ. 

"  II.  All  positive  duties,  or  duties  made  such 
by  institution  alone,  depend  entirely  upon  the 
will  and  declaration  of  the  person  who  institutes 
jY  ordains  them,  with  respect  to  the  real  design 
and  end  of  them  ;  and  consequently  to  the  due 
manner  of  performing  them, 

"  III.  It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  the  nature, 
the  design,  and  the  due  manner  of  receiving 
baptism,  must  of  necessity  depend  upon  what 
Jesus  Christ,  who  instituted  it,  hath  declared 
about  it." 

On  which  I  would  remark,  that  if  the  nature, 
and  and  design,  with  thedue  manner  of  admin- 
is  tring  and  receiving  Christ's  baptism,  must  de- 
pend entirely  upon  what  he  himself  hath  decla- 
red about  it,  I  think  it  is  plain,  that  the  nature 
of  it  is  altogether  inward  and  spiritual.  He  ne- 
ver once  calls  outward  baptism  with  water  hist 
neyer  once  declares  any  such  thing  about  his,  as 
that  elementary  water  or  any  other  outward 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE-  107 

thing  belongs  to  it;  but  distinguishing  his  own 
from  that  of  water,  says  plainly,  "  John  truly 
baptized  with  water,  but  ye  shall  be  baptized 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,'*  Acts  i.  5. 

And  as  to  the  manner  of  its  administration,  he 
has  not  declared  one  word  about  its  being  by 
dipping  in  outward  water.  On  the  contrary, 
what  he  does  expressly  declare  as  to  its  adminis- 
tration by  his  Apostles,  shows  it  to  be  by  and 
through  the  efficacy  of  their  \)owevfu\\gosp el  min- 
istry. They  were  to  teach,  baptizing:  and  that 
not  into  ivater ;  but  "  into  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
ther, and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
And  even  this  very  author,  in  reciting  this  pas- 
sage, this  great  commission,  both  affirms  it  to 
be  "  the  first  account  of  baptism  as  a  Christian 
institution;  and  renders  it,  "into  the  name,"  &c. 
p.  39.  Now  if,  as  he  asserts,  this  is  "  the  first 
account  of  baptism,  as  a  Christian  institution,11 
and  if  this  is  so  very  different  from  that  which 
was  in  water,  that  is  into  the  eternal  name,  how 
could  he  add  water  to  this  institution,  and  yet 
repeatedly  maintain  the  absolute  necessity  of  a 
plain  and  express  declaration  from  Christ  him- 
self, both  as  to  the  nature,  end  and  design,  and 
also  the  due  maimer  of  performing  and  receiving 
Christian  baptism  ?  This  he  urges  again  and 
again.  See  page  45.  "  It  cannot  be  doubted 
Jesus  Christ  sufficiently  declared  to  his  first  and 
immediate  followers,  the  whole  of  what  he  de- 
signed should  be  understood  by  or  implied  in 
this  duty;  for  this  bein^  a  positive  institution, 
dependingentirely  upon  his  will,  a-id  not  design- 
ed to  contain  any  thing  in  it  but  what  he  himself 


108  THE    BAPTISM   OP   CHRIST 

should  please  toaffix  to  it,  it  must  follow,  that  he 
declared  his  mind  about  It  fully  and  plainly  ;  be- 
cause, otherwise,  he  must  be  supposed  to  insti- 
tute a  duty  of  which  no  one  could  have  any  no* 
tion  without  his  institution,  and  at  the  same  time 
not  to  instruct  his  followers  sufficiently  what  that 
duty  was  to  be."  If  this  is  good  reasoning  a- 
gainst  sprinkling  infants  why  not  as  good  against 
dipping  adults  in  material  water,  since  Christ 
never  once  mentions  either  as  belonging  to  his 
baptism  ?  And  yet  this  sensible  author  will  not 
allow  any  thing  at  all  in  it,  or  to  be  understood, 
or  even  implied  in  it,  but  what  Christ  fully  and 
plainly  declared  his  mind  about :  and  then  que- 
ries, "  where  has  Jesus  Christ  declared  his  mind, 
and  declared  it  fully  and  plainly,  that  infants  are 
to  receive  Christian  baptism?"  Now,  serious 
reader,  let  us  just  vary  the  terms  of  this  question, 
and  ask,  "where  has  Jesus  Christ  declared  his 
mindfully  and  plainly — nay,  where  has  he  de- 
clared it  at  all,  that  adults  are  to  be  baptized  in 
neater  ?  or  where  has  he  ever  declared  material 
water  to  pertain  to  his  baptism  f  I  believe  the 
text  where  he  has  declared  this  is  not  in  the 
Bible,  any  more  than  the  other :  and  also  that 
dipping  adults  outwardly,  is  no  more  the  baptism 
Christ  ordained,  than  sprinkling  infants :  and 
that  the  foregoing  reasoning  is  as  substantially 
conclusive  in  one  case,  as  the  other. 

But  he  goes  on,  and  asks,  •*  is  not  our  Savi- 
ours commission  far  from  declaring/?///!/  and 
plainly  in  favour  of  children's  baptism,  perfectly 
silent  on  this  head  ?"  And  I  ask,  is  it  not  as  per* 
fectly  silent  about  tcater?  But  be  further  asks, 


.     A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  109 

"  does  it  say  any  more  than  this,  make  disciples, 
converts,  believers,  amongst  all  nations,  and  bap- 
tize them  ?"  Here  I  answer,  yes  ;  it  is  not  only 
perfectly  silent  as  to  water,  as  not  at  all  intend- 
ed therein  ;  it  expressly  enjoins  into  what  they 
are  to  be  baptized,  the  name  of  the  Father,  &c. 
But  had  it  said  no  more  than  make  disciples,  bap- 
tizing them,  he  who  presumes  to  add  water,  adds 
that  which  Christ  has  no-where  enjoined;  but 
has  emphatically  distinguished  from  his  baptism. 
And  he  who  separates  baptizing  from  teaching, 
in  this  commission,  and  represents  the  baptism 
here  enjoined,  as  enjoined  to  be  otherwise  ad- 
ministered than  by  the  baptizing  ministry  of  the 
gospel,  puts  asunder  what  Christ  here  plainly 
joined  together. 

Page  41,  42,  he  says,  '•' when  therefore  our 
blessed  Saviour,  after  his  resurrection,  instituted 
his  sacrament  of  baptism,  if  infants  were  to  be 
received  to  it,  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  he  him- 
self  sufficiently  declared  this  to  his  first  and  im- 
mediate followers,  which  sufficient  and  only  an* 
thentic  declaration  must  appear  in  some  passage 
of  the  New  Testament.  "  There  seems'  (says 
he)  "  the  greatest  reason  to  expect  some  express 
declaration  on  this  head,  because  otherwise  men 
who  had  hitherto  been  used  to  exclude  infants, 
and  to  look  upon  them  no  way  concerned  in  the 
ordinance  of  baptism,  would  be  likely  still  to  pass 
them  by,  and  not  think  of  them  as  coming  with- 
in the  reach  of  their  fresh  commission.  Men 
who,  during  John's  ministry,  had  already  baptizn 
cd  an  infinite  multitude  of  the  adult  only  amongst 
the  Jews,  would  naturally  conclude,  on  their 


110  Villi    BAPTISM   OF    CHRIST 

being  sent  forth  to  practise  the  same  rite  among 
the  Gentiles,  that  with  them  also  the  adult  only 
were  proper  subjects,  unless  there  appeared 
something  upon  tYteface  of  their  commiss;on  to 
teach  them  otherwise."  Now  does  not  this  hold 
altogether  as  forcibly  against  immersion  in  water  ? 
Let  us  read  the  argument  thus:  when  our  Sa- 
viour, after  his  resurrection,  commissionated  his 
disciples  to  administer  his  one  saving  baptism,  if 
outward  water  belonged  to  it,  it  cannot  be  doubl- 
ed that  he  himself  sufficiently  declared  this  to  his 
first  and  immediate  followers;  which  sufficient 
and  only  authentic  declaration  must  appear  in 
some  passage  of  the  New  Testament.  There 
seems  the  greatest  reason  to  expect  some  express 
declaration  on  this  head;  because,  otherwise, 
men  who  had  hitherto  been  used  to  hear  jcaler 
haptismcaWed  John's,  and  pointedly  distinguish- 
ed from  Christfs,  and  Christ's  expressly  declared 
to  be  quite  another  thing,  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
fire,  in  which  it  were  very*  absurd  to  suppose 
material  water  to  have  any  part,  might  be  very 
likely  still  to  reject  icater^  as  not  at  all  within  the 
meaning  of  a  commission  confined  wholly  to  the 
one  saving  baptism  and  ministry  of  the  gospel, 
which  was  to  continue  to  the  end  of  the  world, 
and  which  could  not  be  administered  without 
the  immediate  presence  and  help  of  Christ  in 
spirit ;  and  therefore  required  their  waiting  at 
Jerusalem,  till  they  were  "endued  with  power 
from  on  high,"  before  they  could  execute  the 
commission. 

Men  who,  during  John's  ministry,  had  bap- 
tized many  of  the  Jews  into  his  icatery  baptism, 


-  A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  Ill 

and  had  considered  it  only  as  his,  and  as  pre- 
paring the  way  for  Christ's,  might  very  naturally, 
on  being  sent  to  baptize  the  Gentiles  with  Christ's 
baptism,  and,  for  qualification,  promised  his  di- 
vine presence,  or  the  endowment  of"  power  from 
on  high,"  conclude  that  water  baptism  was  still 
bat  John's,  and  required  no  more  power  from 
above  to  administer  it  now  than  before  /  but  that 
Christ's,  being,  as  they  had  ever  been  taught, 
entirely  a  different  baptism,  required  quite  dif- 
ferent qualifications  to  administer  it;  and  which, 
accordingly,  they  were  promised  to  receive,  and 
directed  to  wait  for,  before  they  went  forth,  or 
indeed  could  possibly  go  forth,  in  this  commiss- 
ion. All  this,  the  very  nature  of  Christ's  bap- 
tism, the  manner  and  terms  of  the  commission, 
and  the  qualifications  expressly  pointed  out  there- 
in, as  necessary  to  its  execution,  might  naturally 
lead  them  to  conclude,  unless  there  had  also 
something  appeared  upon  the  face  of  their  com- 
mission to  teach  them  otherwise,  and  turn  their 
minds  from  Christ's  to  John's  baptism  ;  which 
yet,  in  itself,  were,  in  such  a  commission,  un- 
accountably absurd.  But  prejudice  has  such  a 
powerful  influence,  that  many  texts  are  read  and 
quoted  in  support  of  elementary  water,  which 
speak  only  of  the  spiritual  water  of  the  word. 
I  even  admire  at  the  misapplication  of  a  con- 
siderable number,  in  this  way,  by  the  author 
now  mentioned  ;  and  perhaps  I  may,  before  I 
have  done,  point  some  of  them  out;  though  I 
aim  not  at  controversy,  but  the  advancement  of 
all,  beyond  signs  and  shadows,  to  the  life  and 
substance.  And  this  I  think  will  be  the  case 
with  such  as  fully  adhere  to  the  best  part  of  the 


312  THE    BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

sentiments  contained  in  their  best  Writings ;  as 
for  instance,  the  foregoing  in  the  present  author's 
account. 

And  again,  p.  46,  *  a  limited  commission 
amounts  to  a  prohibition  of  the  things  not  there- 
in contained."  This  he  doubtless  thought,  and 
doubtless  many  of  his  readers  still  think,  con- 
clusive against  infant  sprinkling.  I  think  it  as 
much  so  against  outward  immersion.  The  com- 
mission is  as  much  limited  in  one  case  as  the 
other,  and  as  much  "  amounts  to  a.  prohibition" 
Let  then  this  sentiment  be  admitted  in  its  full 
force  and  latitude,  and  it  will  lead  to  the  un- 
shadowy  dispensation  of  gospel  realities,  to  the 
baptism  that  ?iow  saves  us.  But  instead  of  this, 
too  many  are  acting  as  he  says  the  Romanist 
does,  about  infallibility,  p.  71.  "  Thus"  (says 
he)  "the  Romanist,  in  an  affair  whose  nature 
admits  of  none  but  positive  evidence,  endeavours 
to  make  up  the  want  of  it  by  inference,  and  rea- 
soning from  fitness.  Such  an  institution  there 
was  under  the  Old  Testament,  therefore  it  re- 
mains under  the  Neic"  And  do  not  both  Paedo 
and  Antipaedo-Baptists  endeavour  to  make  out 
?x*ater  to  be  Christ's  baptism,which  is  wholly  want- 
ing in  the  words  of  his  commission,  and  wholly 
repugnant  to  the  nature  and  design  of  his  bap- 
tism, by  inference?  And  is  it  not  urged  upon  us 
by  them,  from  what  wo?  under  a  former  dispen- 
sation too,  and  that  a  decreasing  one,  and  de- 
signed to  terminate,  and  be  fulfilled  in  Christ  ? 
whose  gospel  and  baptism  is  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation  to  true  believers  ?— P.  61,  he  speaks 
of  sureties  ior  infants,  as  entirely  a  supplement. 
I  say  the  same  of  water.  It  is  entirely  a  supplement. 


.     A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE*  llo 

that  men  strive  hard  to  add  to  the  gospel.— But 
in  the  matter  of  an  instituted  duty ,  he  maintains 
"no  one  can  be  a  judge  but  the  institutor  him* 
self  of  what  he  designed  should  be  contained  in 
it,  and  because,  supposing  him  not  to  have  spoken 
his  mind  'plainly  about  it,  it  is  impossible  that 
any  other  person  (to  whom  the  institutor  him- 
self never  revealed  his  design)  should  make  up 
that  defect:  all  that  is  added,  therefore  (says  he) 
"  to  Christ's  institution  as  a  necessary  part  of  it, 
ought  to  be  esteemed  only  as  the  invention  of 
those  who  add  it:  and  the  more  there  is  added 
(let  it  be  done  with  never  so  much  solemnity,  and 
never  so  great  pretences  to  authority)  the  less 
there  is  remaining  of  the  simplicity  of  the  insti- 
tution^ Christ  himself  [eh  it,"  p.  61. 

What  pity  it  is,  reader,  that  men  who  can  ar- 
gue so  closely  against  human  inferences,  addi- 
tions, supplements  and  inventions,  do  not  so  feel 
the  force  of  their  own  arguments,  as  to  leave  all 
additions,  and  come  home  to  the  naked  simpli- 
city of  Christ's  institutions,  as  he  himself  has  left 
them  to  us.— But  he  goes  on  saying,  "  1  am  the 
more  solicitous  to  observe  this,  and  to  impress  it 
upon  the  minds  of  Christians,  because  it  is  the 
only  thing  that  can  either  prevent  or  cure  the 
mistakes  of  many  sincere  Christians  upon  this 
subject."*    He  says,  p.  54,  "the  people  called 

*  And  yet,  after  all  his  solicitude  to  observe  and  impress 
these  sentiments,  he  has  himself,  throughout  his  per- 
formance, mistakenly  kept  up,  and  endeavoured  to  main- 
rain,  the  addition  and  supplement  of  an  outward  sign  (for 
he  repeatedly  calls  it  a  sign  himself)  to  the  institution  Oi 
an  important  and  soul-saving  ordinance  of  the  gospel.— 
So  hard  is  it  "  either  to  prevent  or  cure  the  mistakes  of 
many  sincere  Christians  upon  this  subject." 


114  THE    BAPTISM   OF   CUIUS  i" 

Quakers  are  of  opinion,  that  the  baptism  of  the 
Spirit  is  the  alone  Christian  baptism,  and  the  bap- 
tism of  water  belonged  only  to  the  dispensation 
of  John,  But  in  the  case  of  Cornelius  we  have 
an  instance  under  the  christian  dispensation,  and 
upon  the  call  ©f  the  Gentiles  to  the  faith  of  the 
gospel,  wherein  it  appears  the  Apostle  Peter  is 
so  far  from  concluding  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit 
renders  that  of  water  unnecessary,  that  he  infers 
directly  the  contrary,  viz.  no  man  ought  to  be 
against  their  baptism  in  water,  because  they  had, 
previously,  received  the  baptism  of  the  holy 
Ghost,  Then  baptism  with  the  Holy  Ghost  was 
the  proof  and  reason  of  their  right  to  the  bap- 
tism of  water. 

This  argument  should  be  well  examined;  no 
doubt  it  weighs  much  with  many,  and  seems  to 
them  unanswerable :  but  to  me  there  is  some- 
thing in  it  which  tends  directly  to  the  confirma- 
tion of  the  Quakers'  doctrine,  and  the  overthrow 
of  his  own.  The  Quaker  says,  "  the  baptism 
of  the  Spirit  is  the  alone  Christian  baptism,  and 
the  baptism  of  water  belonged  only  to  the  dis- 
pensation of  John."  But  this  author  throughout 
his  "  plain  account,"  insists  on  immersion  in  water, 
as  the  baptism  of  Christ.  Now  there  is  but 
"one  Lord,  one  faith,  and  one  baptism,"  be- 
longing to  the  Christian  dispensation — but  here 
this  author,  three  times,  mentions  expressly  both 
the  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  or  Holy  Ghost,  and 
the  baptism  of  water,  as  distinct  things,  as  two 
baptisms,  and  urges  them,  being  both  used  in 
the  case  of  Cornelius,  as  proof  that  water  bap- 
tism belong*  to  the  gospel.— Will  he  say,  Christ 


.  A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  115 

instituted  two  baptisms?  If  not,  as  here  where 
two  are  mentioned,  if  is  plain  one  only  of  them  was 
Christ's.  If  Christ's  is  but  one  and  that  one  bo 
that  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  then  that  with  water  is 
not  Chrisfs,  but,  as  the  Quaker  says,  was  John's* 
On  the  other  hand,  if  Chrises  is  but  one,  and 
that  one  be  immersion  in  elementary  water,  then 
that  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  not  Christ's, — So  that 
this  instance,  instead  ot  proving  water  baptism 
to  be  Christ's,  proves  quite  the  contrary ;  and 
powerfully  confirms  the  Quakers'  doctrine,  that 
it  was  only  Johns,  and  was  continued  through 
condescension  to  the  weakness  of  many  in  that 
early  state  of  things  in  the  Christian  church. 
And  as  it  was  administered  to  some  before,  and 
to  others  after  they  received  Christ's  baptism  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  1  think  nothing  can  be  gather- 
ed from  this  Instance  in  support  of  the  right,  the 
divine  right,  as  he  elsewhere  calls  it,  of  outward 
immersion  i;nder  the  gospel,  unless  it  be  granted 
that  such  ris  received  immersion  before  the  bap- 
tism of  the  Spirit,  had  no  right  to  it ;  the  which 
to  grant,  is  at  once  giving  up  several  of  the  sup- 
posed strong  holds  in  favour  of  water. 

Indeed  whoever  attempts  to  prove  signs  and 
shadows  parts  of  the  gospel,  will  ever  meet  with 
insurmountable  difficulties:  hence  we  find. many 
attendant  on  every  attempt  (however  ingenious- 
ly executed)  to  dignify  water  baptism  to  the  de- 
gree of  an  ordinance  of  Jesus—But  when  we 
once  come  to  the  genuine  simplicity  of  the  gos« 
pel,  these  difficulties  vanish  ;  and  nothing  seems 
more  natural  and  easy,  nothing  more  consonant 
to   plain   scripture,  and  the  necessity  of  occa- 


ilG  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CI1IUST 

sions,  than  these  frequent  condescensions,  in  times 
of  weakness,  and  therein  those  diverse  continu- 
ations of  tilings,  in  point  of  obligation,  ceased 
which  are  recorded  in  the  New  Testament.— 
Indeed  this  very  condescension  is  an  eminent 
display  both  of  the  wisdom  and  compassionate 
goodness  of  our  Saviour.— -It  exhibits  him  equal 
to  all  states  and  conditions,  "  touched  with  a 
feeling  of  our  infirmities,"  commiserating  our 
weakness,  taking  the  lambs  in  his  bosom,  and 
gently  leading  those  that  are  with  young;"  feed- 
ing them  with  food  they  could  bear,  milk  before 
strong  meat,  and  indulging  them  with  signs, 
till  they  could  see  the  all  sufficiency  of  the  sub- 
stance, to  which  all  the  signs  pointed — "  there 
is  a  time  to  every  purpose;"— and,  says  Christ 
M  if  I  have  told  you  earthly  things,  and  ye  be- 
lieve not,  how  shall  ye  believe  if  I  tell  you  of 
heavenly  things?"  John  iii.  12.  He  knew  what 
was  in  man,  knew  all  his  attachments  and  weak- 
nesses, and  graciously  stooped  to  the  lowest, 
darkest  and  most  literal  state  of  sincere  seekers; 
waiting  patiently  their  gradual  advancement  to 
a  state  of  pure  spiritual  worship,  void  of  "all 
old  things,"  of  every  sign  and  symbol. — And  I 
have  a  full  persuasion  and  belief,  that  such  is 
his  condescending  goodness  and  forbearance,  in 
our  days,  towards  great  numbers  of  sincere- 
hearted  disciples,  who  are  still,  even  in  reading 
the  New  Testament,  so  far  under  the  vail  as  not 
to  perceive  the  abolition  of  certain  ceremonials, 
which  never  did,  and  in  the  nature  of  things 
never  could  belong  to  the  gospel :  and  the  tra- 
vail and  prayer  of  my  soul  is,  that  they  may 
nott  as  too  many  certainly  and  sorrowfully  do. 


A    GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  117 

to  their  great  hindrance  in  the  true  Christian 
progress,  settle  down,  and  stick  in  these  things ; 
but  may  pass  forward  into  the  mystery  of  Christ, 
till  they  experience  the  vail  entirely  done  away 
in  him.— The  vail  is  done  away  in  Christ.— This 
is  the  joyful  experience  of  such  as  are  livingly 
in  him  the  life,  the  substance,  the  Lord  from  hea- 
ven, the  quickening  spirit,  thelight  of  men,  and  in- 
ward hope  of  glory  :  but  a  mere  profession  of 
Christ  can  never  do  away  the  vaiL-vm "  The  cover- 
ing is  spread  over  the  face  of  all  nations"-^and 
is  as  thick,  and  dark,  over  the  minds  of  nominal 
Christians,  yea,  thousands  who  are  high  in  pro- 
fession of  Christ,  and  zealous  in  exterior  per- 
formances, as  it  is  over  any  persons  whatever,  or 
ever  was  over  the  Jews  in  reading  Moses.— And 
though  the  God  of  all  grace  is  pleased  to  permit 
many  upright-hearted  men  and  women  to  re- 
main so  under  the  vail  as  still  to  use  and  plead 
for  these  exteriors;  yea,  some  who  are  in  a  de- 
gree preachers  of  the  gospel;  yet,  blessed  be 
his  holy  name,  he  is  not  without,  but  he  has 
raised  up  and  preserved  many  living  witnesses, 
from  time  to  time,  to  the  pure  spirituality  of 
his  gospel  kingdom,  who  are  truly  of  the 
inward  heart  circumcision,  which  worship  God 
in  the  spirit,  and  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and 
have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh,'—  Phil.  iii.  3. 
These  dare  not  confide  in,  touch,  taste,  handle, 
or  become  subject  to  ordinances,  in  these  things, 
which  perish  with  the  using,  Col.  ii.  20,  21,  22. 

Many  such  there  are,  even  in  our  day,  who 
?an  truly  "  thank  God,"  that  he  has  shewn  them 
L  2 


118  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

clearly  the  emptiness  and  abrogation  of  all  these 
things,  and  can  truly  declare,  with  Paul,  touch- 
ing water  baptism,  that  "  God  sent  them  not  to 
baptize,  but  to  preach  the  gospel."  And  it  is  be- 
lieved, that  if  the  preachers  of  our  day  were  all 
to  wait  till  God  sent  them  to  baptize  in  water, 
or  not  to  run  without  his  commission  and  send- 
ing, we  should  soon  see  a  total  cessation  of  the 
practice,  and  no  real  loss  to  Christianity  neither. 
Indeed,  if  they  were  all  to  wait  his  sending,  be- 
fore and  until  they  commence  preachers,  there 
would  doubtless  be  abundantly  less  of  that  teach- 
ing which  is  not  baptizing.  And  is  it  not  highly 
probable,  that  one  great  reason  why  many  under 
such  teaching,  cannot  believe  the  gospel  minis- 
try is  truly  according  to  the  gospel  commission, 
"teach,  baptizing," — in  their  non-experience  of 
the  power  and  efficacy  of  the  pure  living  minis- 
try of  the  gospel,  which  is  always  in  the  power 
of  God,  and  is  more  or  less  to  the  salvation  of 
them  that  believe?  But  where  there  is  a  living 
ministry  in  purity  preserved,  and  where  the 
Jiving  word,  thus  livingly  preached,  is  mixed 
with  true  faith  (which  is  ever  of  the  operation  of 
God)  in  them  that  hear  it ;  these  can  set  to  their 
seal,  that  such  do  really  i(  minister  to  them  the 
Spirit."  See  Gal.  iii.  5,  "  he  therefore  that  minis- 
lereth  to  you  the  Spirit."  Here  "  the  excellen- 
cy of  the  power  is  of  God,"  even  though  we 
have  this  treasure  in  earthen  vessels,"  2  Cor.  iv. 
7. — Though  it  is  men,  that  out  of  this  good 
treasure  of  the  heart  bring  forth  excellent  things, 
M  minister  the  Spirit,"  impart  spiritual  gifts,  and 
actually  baptize  into  the  life,  and  spirit,  name 
^nd  power,  of  the  Father,  &c— yea,  beget  souls, 


A   GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  119- 

to  God ;  as  Paul  says,  "  I  have  begotten  you 
through  the  gospel,"  1  Cor.  iv.  15;  yet  the  in- 
struments have  no  sufficiency  of  themselves;— 
their'*  sufficiency  is  of  God,"  who  makech  them 
able  ministers  of  the  New  Testament,  "  not  of 
the  letter,  but  of  the  Spirit,"  2  Cor.  iii.  5,  6.— 
Hence  Paul  said,  he  would  "know  not  the 
speech  of  them  which  are  puffed  up,  but  the 
power.  For  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  word, 
but  in  power"  I  Cor.  iv.  12.  20.  Were  all  to 
keep  strictly  to  this  life  and  power  of  the  king- 
dom, these  signs  would  cease  forever ;  and  we 
should  have  no  other  ministry,  but  the  pure  bap- 
tizing  ministry  of  the  gospel.— And  here  ari- 
seth  the  necessity  of  waiting  upon  the  Lord, 
for  the  renewal  of  strength  and  qualification 
for  all  gospel  ministry ;  that  so  the  power  may 
indeed  be  of  God  ;  as  the  Apostles  waited  to  be 
M  endued  with  power  from  on  high." — And 
those  who  so  wait,  and  dare  not  run  of  them- 
selves, or  preach  in  their  own  time,  or  at  one 
time,  because  they  have  at  another,  they  follow 
the  Great  Shepherd,  learn  his  experience,  and 
are  led  in  his  footsteps :— their  hour  is  not  always ; 
—it  frequently  is  not  yet  come,  as  was  the  case 
with  him  :  but  great  is  their  advantage,  by  this 
experience  and  limitation ;  for  when  it  does  come, 
it  comes  with  power;  and  they  know  the  life 
and  meaning  of  Christ's  words,  John  xx,  21, 
"  as  my  Father  hath  sent  me,  even  so  send  I 
you."  And  surely  he  was  sent  of  the  Father, 
to  baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  did  do  it, 
and  that  even  in  preaching  the  gospel  to  the 
meek.  And  as  he  was  anointed  for  this  service  by 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  that  was  upon  him,  as 


120  HIE   BAPTISE    OF   CHRIST 

before  noticed,  in  order  that  his  ministers  might 
be  qualified  for  the  like  service,  and  be  sen »  in 
like  manner  as  he  was;  immediately  "  when  he 
had  said  this  he  breathed  on  them,  and  saith 
unto  them,  receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost,"  v.  22; 
and  thus  qualified  by  the  same  anointing,  and 
sent  forth  in  the  same  service,  they  were  enabled 
to  work  the  same  icorks,  according  to  his  promise, 
John  xiv.  12  "  verily,  verily"  (mark  the  cer- 
tainty of  it)  "  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  believeth 
on  me  the  works  that  I  do,  shall  he  do  also ; 
and  greater  works  than  these  shall  he  do ;  be- 
cause I  go  unto  my  Father."— -But  why  because 
he  went  to  the  Father?  Because  he  would  then 
pray  the  Father,  and  the  Comforter,  the  Spirit 
of  truth,  should  be  sent  to  abide  with  them  for- 
ever, to  lead  and  guide  them  into  all  truth, and 
qualify  them  to  work  the  works  of  God. 

Paul  exhorts  Timothy,  "  that  good  thing 
which  was  committed  unto  thee,  keep  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  dwellethin  us,"  2  Tim.  i  14. 
And  was  not  this  good  thing  truly,  as  Paul  calls 
it,  "  the  gift  of  God  ?"  and  yet  was  it  not  in  Ti- 
mothy by  the  putting  on  of  Paul's  hands?  2 
Tim.  i.  6.  Thus  we  see,  as  in  other  instances, 
"  through  laying  on  of  the  Apostles'  hands,  the 
Holy  Ghost  was  given,"  Acts  viii.  18,  and  why 
not  as  easily  by  their  preaching?  It  is  evident, 
that  it  was  given  by  their  preaching,  which  was 
in  the  divine  power,  as  well  as  by  the  laying  on 
of  hands,  in  the  same  power,  and  that  too  in 
this  very  instance,  the  case  of  Timothy;  for, 
says  Paul  to  him,  "  neglect  not  the  gift  that  is 


A  GOSPEL    ORDINANCE,  121 

ill  thee,  which  was  given  by  Prophecy ,  with  the 
laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  Presbytery ,"  1 
Tim.  iv.  14. 

Here  Paul  declares  this  gift  of  God  was  given 
hy  prophecy,  as  well  as  by  laying  on  hands. 
And  what  is  prophecy?  It  is  preaching  the  gos- 
pel; for  "  he  that  prophecieth,"  (says  Paul) 
"  speaketh  unto  men  to  edification,  and  exhorta- 
tion and  comfort,"  1  Cor.  xiv.  3.  Great  edification 
dndcomfort  indeed  attend  such  truly  gospel  pro* 
phecying  and  teaching,  when  thereby  he  that  thus 
speaketh  unto  men,  "  ministreth  unto  them 
the  Spirit,"  the  gift  of  God,  that  is  thus  given 
to  them,  as  a  good  thing  indeed,  and  which, 
after  thev  received  it  they  cannot  keep  it,  f*  but 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  that  is  in  them."— It  is  the 
Spirit  that  first  quickoieth:  and  as  these  quick- 
en ings  are  attended  to,  an  increasing  with  the 
increase  of  God  is  happily  experienced;  even 
"  Grace  for1*  (the  faithful  improvement  of) 
" grace"  And  after  all  improvements  and  com- 
munications of  grace,  or  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  is 
still  this  alone  that  can  enable  us  to  keep  this 
precious  treasure  which  we  have  thus  gracious- 
ly received  from  God  ;  being  given  to  us,  of 
him,  in  our  earthen  vessels.  It  is  neither  speak' 
ing,  nor  laying  on  of  hands,  in  a  formal  man- 
ner, that  can  convey  divine  influence  to  the 
sou!,  or  qualify  for  divine  service.  The  power 
is  only  of  God.  And  he  that  is  not  immediately 
impowered  of  God,  has  nothing  more  to  do,  eL 
ther  with  preaching  or  laying  on  hands,  than  Si- 
mon the  Sorcerer,  who  would  have  bought  with 
money  the  privilege  of  communicating  the  Holy 


122  THE    BAPTISM  OF    CHRIST 

Ghost,  that  he  might  trade  with  it,  as  I  con- 
clude, and  make  money  by  the  business. 

It  is  probable  the  sign  of  laying  on  of  hands 
was,  in  that  weak  and  early  state  of  the  church, 
or  of  many  young  converts,  made  use  of  as  a 
confirmation  ;  thereby  strengthening  their  faith 
in  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  in  the  power  at- 
tending the  Apostles ;  but  it  is  neither  needful 
•where  the  gospel  is  generally  established,  nor, 
out  of  the  life,  any  more  availing  than  the  bra- 
zen serpent  was  to  Israel,  after  its  real  use  was 
ceased,  and  they  were  become  ensnared  by  an 
idolatrous  attachment  to  it,  and  dependence  on 
it.  The  minds  of  men,  not  single  to  divine 
light,  are  ever  liable  to  mistake  the  real  use  and 
design  of  such  things;  to  continue  them  out  of 
all  proper  season,  and  rely  too  much  upon  them. 
Hence  the  continuation  of  water  baptism, 
bread  and  wine,  laying  on  of  hands,  &c.  among 
Christians,  even  to  this  day ;  as  of  Israel's  lifeless 
looking  to  that  mere  piece  of  brass,  for  several 
hundred  years  formerly,  and  long  after  its  real 
use  was  over,  and  when  no  good  was  derived 
from  their  formal  looking  to  it. 

Ananias  was  sent  to  Paul  expressly,  Acts  ix. 
17,  that  he  might  "  be  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghost."  Then  surely  he  instrumentally  dispen- 
sed or  ministered  it  to  him,  or  (which  is  the 
same  thing)  baptized  him  with  it. 

Some  contend  against  baptizing  spiritually  by 
teaching  in  the  power  of  the  gospel,  and  urge 
that  the  gift  of  tongues  always  attended  the 


.     A   GOSPEL    ORDINANCE..  123 

baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  If  so,  who  have 
this  baptism  in  our  day  ?  Will  it  be  granted 
that  none  are  now  baptized  with  the  baptism  of 
Christ?  Then  the  saints  now  receive  none  but 
Johns.  But  there  are  divers  instances  in  the 
New  Testament  of  persons  baptized  with  the 
Holy  Ghost,  where  not  a  word  is  said  of  their 
speaking  with  tongues,  as  the  attentive  reader 
may  see  for  himself. 

Peter,  in  relating  his  visit  to  Cornelius,  men- 
tions the  angel's  saying  to  him,  to  wit,  that  he 
(Peter)  should  tell  him  words  whereby  he  and  his 
house  should  be  saved.  This  shows  his  words 
would  be  with  baptizing  efficacy;  that  he  would 
as  he  certainly  did,  baptize  them  with  the  Holy 
Ghost :  he  taught  baptizingly,  according  to  com- 
mission :  and  he  himself  evidently  considers  that 
baptism  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  they  re-» 
ceived  through  his  teaching,  as  an  exact  accom- 
plishment both  of  this  saying  of  the  angel,  and 
of  our  Lord's  promise  in  regard  to  the  baptism  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Do,  kind  reader,  examine  the 
passage  for  thyself,  Acts  xi.  where  the  angel, 
speaking  of  Peter,  says  to  Cornelius,  verse  14, 
"who  shall  tell  thee  words,  whereby  thou  and 
all  thy  house  shall  be  saved.17  In  the  very  next 
sentence,  to  shew  how  exactly  this  was  verified, 
Peter  says,  verse  15,  "and  as  I  began  to  speak, 
the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  them.,  as  on  us  at  the  be- 
ginning/ Here  he  plainly  connects  their  re- 
ception of  the  Holy  Ghost,  through  his  ministry, 
with  the  saying  of  the  angel,  that  he  should  tell 
them  icords,  by  which  they  should  be  saved. 
Indeed,  how  could  he  possibly  tell  them  words 


124  THE   BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

by  which  they  should  be  saved,  unless  baptizing 
influence  attended  his  words  ?  Nothing  ever 
saves  the  soul,  without  the  baptism  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Had  I  heard  th^  angel  tell  Cornelius, 
that  Peter  would  tell  him  words  by  which  he 
should  be  saved,  I  think  it  would  to  me  have 
been  sufficient  evidence  that  Peter's  words  should 
be  with  baptizing  power.  And  this  I  think  might 
be  depended  on;  seeing  nothing  saves  short  of 
"  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of 
the  Holy  Ghost."  And  on  this  ground  we  might 
take  it  for  certain,  from  this  saying  of  the  angel, 
that  Peter's  powerful  teaching  was  to  prove  bap- 
tizing to  Cornelius  and  his  houshold,  whether 
Christ  had  ever  verbally  commissioned  him  and 
the  other  Apostles  to  teach  baptizingly  or  not ; 
and  whether  Perer  had  ever  related  that  he  did 
so  or  not.  But  seeing  Christ  did  so  commis- 
sionate  them,  and  seeing  the  angel  did  declare, 
that  Peter  should  deliver  words  by  which  men 
should  be  saved;  and  seeing  none  can  be  saved 
without  the  one  only  saving  and  spiritual  bap- 
tism ;  and  seeing  they  received  this,  as  Peter  be- 
gan to  speak,  the  Holy  Ghost  then  falling  on 
them  ;  and  seeing  Peter  himself  evidently  con- 
sidered its  so  falling  on  them  as  the  baptism  of 
the  Holy  Ghost;  and  immediately,  in  the  very 
iiext  words,  applied  our  Lord's  promise  to  what 
then  took  place,  through  his  ministry,  saying, 
verse  16,  "  then  remembered  I  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  how  that  he  said,  John  indeed  baptized 
with  water;  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the 
Holy  Ghost  i"  I  think  all  these  facts  and  con* 
siderations,  taken  together,  amount  to  a  very 
full  and  strong  confirmation,  that  the  ministry  of 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  125 

the  gospel  is  a  baptizing  ministry,  and  that  men 
did  instru  men  tally  baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  this  will  assuredly  be  the  case,  as  long  as 
Christ  continues  to  be  ivith  his  ministers,  and 
they  thereby  continue  to  preach  the  gospel,  as  it 
was  preached  in  the  primitive  times,  "  with  the 
Holy  Ghostsent  down  from  heaven."  And  this 
(it  is  the  unshaken  faith  of  some)  will  be  the  case 
*'  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.     Amen." 

This  account  of  Peter's,  respecting  the  bap- 
tism of  Cornelius  and  his  family  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,  through  his  ministry,  is  so  connected 
and  expressed  by  him,  as  to  confirm  his  mean- 
ing, where,  afterwards,  he  speaks  of  the  bap~ 
tism  which  now  saves  as,  to  be,  that  this  saving 
baptism  is  the  same  by  which  Cornelius  and  his 
house  were  baptized,  while  he  was  delivering 
those  words,  by  which  the  angel  had  said  they 
should  be  saved,  Peter  knew  no  figure  could 
save,  any  more  than  the  "  blood  of  bulls  and  of 
goats"  could  "take  away  sins;"  and  therefore 
in  telling  what  is  the  baptism  which  'saves  (which 
is  several  times  already  remarked)  he  also  care- 
fully shews  us  what  it  is  not,  lest  his  mention 
of  the  woid  water  should  draw  such  as  were  too 
outward  in  their  views  to  trust  in  or  continue  the 
use  of  that  which  only  puts  away  the  outward 
filth  of  the  flesh,  or  of  the  body.  And  his  com- 
manding Cornelius  and  his  house  to  be  baptized, 
no  more  proves  he  had  a.  commission  to  baptize 
with  water,  than  Paul's  baptizing  Crispus  and 
Gaius  proves  he  had  a  commission  tor  it,  which 
he  declared  he  had  not ;  no  yet  awhtt  more 
than  his  circumcising  Timothy,  and  purifying 
M 


190  THE    BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

in  the  temple,  and  James*  directing  the  sick  to 
be  anointed  with  oil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
proves  a  divine  commission  for  all  these  things, 
Hao  Paul  given  a  circumstantial  relation  pf  his 
baptizing  the  few  he  did  baptize  in  water,  with- 
out mentioning  that  he  was  not  sent  to  do  it,  or 
thanking  God  that  he  did  it  in  so  few  instances, 
it  had  been  as  strong  in  favour  of  the  practice, 
as  any  instances  of  »ts  administration  by  the  rest 
of  the  Apostles.  This  he  might  have  done,  as 
well  as  others,  though  he  was  not  sent  to  admin- 
ister that  baptism,  and  do  not  all  see  it  would 
in  reality  have  been  no  true  support  of  the 
practice  ?  Yet  how  eagerly  would  it  have  been 
claimed,-  as  a  support  thereof,  just  as  are  the  in- 
stances where  offers  used  it. 

Now  let  us  suppose  they  had  all  testified  (and 
I  can  see  no  reason  why  they  might  not, as  truly 
as  Paul)  that  Christ  sent  them  not  so  to  baptize; 
thatthey  did  it  in  condescension,  and  thanked  God 
that  they  did  it  no  more;  what  then  would  be- 
come of  all  those  instances,  now  so  confidently 
urged  as  a  proof  that  a  mere  figurative  im- 
mersion is  the  saving  baptism  of  Jesus?  They 
did  divers  things  without  commission,  and  yet 
do  not  expressly  declare  they  were  not  sent  to 
do  them.  Does  their  omission  of  such  a  declara- 
tion infer  they  had  a  commission?  By  no  means. 
Neither  does  their  not  declaring  they  were  not 
sent  to  administer  elementary  baptism,  infer 
they  had  a  commission  for  that.  But,  say  many, 
Christ  gave  them  a  commission  to  baptize.  Very 
true;  and  the  minds  of  men  looking  outward 
for  the  meaning  and  accomplishment  of  many 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  197 

things  that  are  inward -and  spiritual,  has  induced 
them  mistakenly,  among  other  instances,  to  un- 
derstand a  commission  expressly  to  baptize  into 
the  eternal  name,  as  meaning  iflto  water;  and 
thus  to  retain,  as  a  gospel  ordinance,  a  mere 
figurative,  preparatory,  decreasing  and  termina- 
ting institution.  Some  think  it  must  have  been 
by  divine  commission  that  the  Apostles  baptized 
in  water,  because  it  was  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
But  we  see  the  anointing  of  the  side  ivith  oil,  was 
also  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  And  yet  I  know 
of  none  who  now  hold  to  a  divine  commission 
for  this  practice.  But  we  may  take  notice,  that 
neither  this,  nor  water  baptism,  was  "into  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost."  No,  there  is  not  one  instance  of 
this  form  of  words  in  all  the  Bible,  in  the  use  of 
water,  which  surely  we  may  conclude  would 
have  been  the  case,  had  the  commission  designed 
an  outward  dipping;  for,  in  that  case,  that  must 
have  been  the  ordained  form  of  words;  but  as 
water  was  not  meant,  the  commission  contains 
no  form  of  words  at  all  to  be  used  in  baptism; 
but  the  words  into  the  name,  &c  express  the 
very  nature,  power  and  divine  efficacy  of  the 
baptism  they  were  to  administer.  It  was  not 
their  own,  it  was  not  John's,  it  was  not  water>  it 
was  not  any  thing  that  they  could  administer  at 
any  other  time,  than  when  specially  "  endued 
with  power  from  on  high  ;"  and  therefore  this 
they  were  to  wait  for,  and  were  promised  to  re- 
ceive, as  their  qualification,  from  him  who  has 
ail  power. 

Now  he  who  had  all  power,  was  4<  Lord  even 


128  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

of  the  Sabbath  day,"  Mat.  xii.  8,  and  just  as 
much  Lord  of  every  other  sign,  and  has  equally 
fulfilled  them  all,  and  redeemed  his  people  from 
every  yoke  of  mere  ceremonial  observations;— 
for  lie  was  made  of  a  woman,  V  made  under  the 
law.  to  redeem  those  that  were  under  the  law," 
Gal.  iv.  4. — And  If  Christ  was  made  under  the 
law,  surely  John  was  also  under  it,  as  I  have 
before  advanced  ;  nor  was  it  ever  totally  abolish- 
ed, even  as  a  law  of  carnal  or  outward  ordi- 
nances, till  Christ  rose  from  the  dead.— And  this 
holds  good  inwardly  with  the  true  Christian  tra- 
veller in  his  own  experience — "he  that  hath  an 
ear,  let  him  hear." 

But  as  John  was  under  the  law  (though  ad- 
vanced near  to  the  kingdom)  Christ  has,  in  re- 
deeming his  people  from  all  ceremonia's  of  the 
law,  also  redeemed  them  from  water  baptism, 
which  indeed  was  frequently  in  some  sort  prac- 
tised under  the  law,  long  before  John;  as  ap- 
pears by  the  very  precepts  of  the  law — -and 
which  is  allowed  by  the  author  of  the  "  plain 
account"  before  mentioned  ;  for  speaking  of  bap- 
tism in  the  days  of  the  Apostles,  he  says,  "  the 
principal  scene  of  baptism  lay  in  a  country  where 
immersion  was  quite  familiar,  and  must,  by  the 
very  laws  of  their  religion,  come  into  daily  use 
through  all  parts  of  the  land,"  p.  29.  Baptism 
in  water  being;  therefore  a  ceremomal  of  the  law, 
was,  though  differently  used  by  John,  com- 
pletely ended,  with  every  other  ceremony  there- 
of, when  Jesus  rose  triumphant  from  the  grave, 
led  captivity  captive,  and  gave  spiritual  gifts 
unto  men,    And  when  be  rises  so  in  us,  and 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  129 

completely  puts  all  things  under  him,  in  our 
souls,  we  shall  all  find  there  are  no  signs  or  sym- 
bols in  the  gospel,  as  standing  ordinances  there- 
of.—John's  using  water  baptism  a  little  differ- 
ently from  what  had  been  usual  before,  made  no 
difference  as  to  its  perpetuity,  though  that  differ- 
ence might  have  taught  the  Jews,  had  their  ears 
been  open  enough  to  have  heard  it  aright,  that 
he  who  was  coming  after  him  would  make  Great 
alterations,  and  remove  those  things  that  could 
be  shaken,  that  those  only  which  could  not  be 
shaken  might  remain.— There  is  abundant  evi«- 
dence  in  scripture,  that  Christ  never  intended  to 
incorporate  any  of  the  old  rituals  into  his  pure 
religion  and  worship.— Thus  he  taught  the  wo- 
man of  Samaria,  at  the  well,  that  the  true  wor- 
ship was  inward,  V  in  spirit  and  in  truth/' — and 
turned  her  mind  from  outward  water  to  the  in- 
ivard,  John  iv.  And  when  John's  disciples  came 
to  him,  "  saying,  why  do  we  and  the  Pharisees 
fast  oft,  but  thy  disciples  fast  nor?"  Mat.  ix.  14, 
he  first  shows  the  time  of  mourning  is  not  while 
the  brdegroom's  comforting  presence  is  enjoy- 
ed ;  but  that,  when  he  was  taken  from  them, 
then  they  would  fast :  which  shows  \  he  fast  he 
meant  was  inward, — And,  in  the  next  place,  to 
show  the  impropriety  of  uniting  the  ceremo- 
nials of  the  law,  as  outwaid  fusts,  washings, 
&c.  with  the  gospel,  the  life,  the  substance — he 
tells  them,  "  no  man  putteth  a  piece  of  new 
cloth  into  an  old  ganuent,"  &c.  "  neither  do 
men  put  new  wine  into  old  bottles,"  &c.  plainly 
inculcating,  that  his  gospel  was  the  new  and  liv- 
ing way —his  new  cloth,  the  robe  of  pure  righ- 
teousness—the  garment  of  salvation;  h\s?iew  wine 
M  2 


130  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHltlST 

the  wine  he  drinks  new  with  his  chosen,  in  his 
Father  s  in  ward  and  spiritual  kingdom— and  there- 
fore is  put  only  into  the  new  bottles,  the  hearts 
of  the  sanctified;  that  so  Ihtir  hearts  might  be 
animated,  and  rejoice!  in  his  salvation,  out  of  all 
formality  and  ritual  observances;  for  that  he  was 
not  come,  with  his  new  wine,  to  supply  the  old 
bottles  of  law  ceremonies,  or  animate  therewith 
the  vanishing  dispensation  of  types  and  shadows, 
—nor  with  his  new  cloth,  to  patch  up  the  old 
garment  of  those  "  carnal  ordinances,"  impos- 
ed on  them  until  the  time  of  reformation,  Heb. 
ix.  10,  which  was  only  "  a  figure  for  the  time 
then  present,"  v.  y.  NTay,  verily,  this  was  not 
his  intention; — not  the  design  of  the  Father  in 
sending  him — he  came  to  abolish  all  these,  and 
so  to  bring  in  everlasting  righteousness;  and 
which,  wherever  it  is  completely  brought  in, 
entirely  supercedes  the  necessity  of  ail  these  out- 
ward ordinances,  and  abolishes  them  forever. 

It  is  further  observable,  that  Christ's  directions 
about  fasting,  point  plainly  to  that  which  is  in- 
ward, and  wherein  those  who  fast  according  to 
them  "  appear  not  unto  men  to  fast,"  Mat.  vi. 
3  8.  Indeed,  it  being  his  peculiar  office  to  fulfil 
and  abolish  the  ceremonial  observances,  I  believe 
we  shall  find,  by  a  careful  and  illuminated  pe- 
rusal of  all  his  parables  and  discourses,  that  he 
never  on  any  occasion  expressed  any  thing  for 
the  perpetuation  of  outward  signs,  but  on  the 
contrary,  very  repeatedly,  and  on  almost  every 
occasion  that  furnished  proper  opportunity, 
pointed  out,  though  often  times  very  obscurely, 
at  least  to  this  world's  wisdom,  the  unceremo- 


"      A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  131 

nious  and  purely  spiritual  nature  of  his  kingdom. 
But  these  are  things  which  "the  vulture's  eye" 
(though  very  prying)  "  hath  not  seen."  Job 
xxviii. 7.  They  are  only  "spiritually  discerned." 
The  natural  man  (with  all  his  talk  of  Christ  and 
gospel  ordinances)  cannot  know  them*  See  1 
Cor.  ii.  14. 


132  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 


CHAPTER  VI, 


All  baptized  with  Christ's  baptism  are  members  of  his 
church,  and  none  else.  Six  queries  ;  which,  rightly 
answered,  will  determine  which  is  Christ's  baptism — 
Divers  other  queries.  Paul's  care  to  avoid  running  in 
vain ;  hence  he  omits  open  proclamation  against  cir- 
cumcision, at  Jerusalem,  though  he  had  preached  a- 
gainst  it  among  Gentiles.  Not  straage,  then,  John's 
baptism  was  still  in  vogue.  The  twelve  baptized  only 
by  John,  in  water.  They  could  administer  John's 
without  the  power  they  were  to  wait  for  to  administer 
Christ's.  Putting  on  Christ  in  baptism  is  putting  on 
the  armour  of  light.  The  word  for  ieach  in  the  com- 
mission, not  the  common  word  didas/co,  but  matheeuoy 
to  disciple,  insti  uct  i  Jothe  kingdom  of  heaven.  Sprink- 
lers and  dippers  both  greatly  err  about  Israel's  baptism 
in  the  cloud  and  sea.  It  supports  neither.  "  Plain  ac- 
count" corrected  in  this  respect.  The  author  of  it  al- 
lows the  disciples  »the  use  of  water  baptism,  during 
Christ's  ministry  on  earth,  was  the  same  as  John's. 
It  is  the  soul  needs  purgation.  Water  cannot  do  it. 
Divers  texts  showing  plainly  the  name  is  often  used  for 
the  life,  presence,  and  power  of  the  Lord. 

THERE  is  a  baptism  by  which  every  mem- 
ber ifc  initiated  into  the  body  of  Christ.  As  sure 
as  any  are  thus  baptized,  they  are  members  of 
Christ. — If  any  are  not  thus  baptized,  they  are 
not  of  Christ's  church. 

Now,  Query  1.  What  is  the  baptism,  without 
which  none  can  be  members  of  Christ's  church— 
and  which  none  can  be  baptized  with,  but  they 
immediately  become  members? 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  133 

Query  2.  Are  all  sure  to  be  members  of 
Christ's  true  church,  who  are  baptized  in  water  ? 

Query  3.  Has  Christ  two  baptisms?  See  Eph. 
iv.  5,  "one  Lord,  one  faith,  and  one  baptism." 
No  more  two  gospel  baptisms  than  two  Lords, 
and  two  faiths. 

Query  4.  Does  not  Paul  plainly  say,  "  by  one 
spirit  we  are  all  baptized  into  one  'body—and 
have  been  all  made  to  drink  into  one  spirit?" 
1  Cor.  xii.  13. 

Query  5.  Can  any  other  but  this,  which  bap- 
tizetli  into  the  one  body  of  Christ,  be  the  one 
initiatory  and  saving  baptism  of  Christ  ? 

Query  6.  Can  that  be  the  one  baptism  of 
Christ,  which  thousands  may  be  baptized  with, 
and  yet  not  become  members  of  his  true  church, 
but  remain  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  bond  of 
iniquity  ? 

I  think  these  six  queries,  rightly  answered, 
will  determine  which  is  the  one  initiatory  aad 
saving  baptism  of  Christ  in  the  gospel.  Is  it  not 
strange  that  men  don't  see  it  ?— »vVhy  do  'hey 
stick  in  the  practices  .f  tbe  Apostles  so  rigidly, 
in  regard  to  John's  baptism  and  the  supper,  and 
so  easily  get  over  divers  other  of  their  practices? 
Would  it  not  have  been  a  strange  and  almost 
unheard  of  thing,  had  those  famous  institutions 
dropt  into  disuse  all  of  a  sudden? — Could  it  pos- 
sibly have  been  home?— Do  we  not  always  find 
it  much  easier  to  bring  people  by  degrees  to  re- 


1S4  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

ject  old  venerated  laws  and  customs,  and  adopt 
new  ones,  than  to  rush  on  and  enforce  them  all 
at  once  ?— Is  not  God  a  God  of  condescension 
and  tenderness  ?  Did  he  not  anciently  lead  his 
people  Israel,  after  he  brought  them  out  of 
Egypt,  purposely  a  different  way  from  the  near- 
est, lest  they  should  meet  with  discouragements, 
and  return  back  to  Egypt?  Exod.  xiii.  17.-— > 
Would  he  not  ar  least  allow  his  Apostles  to  ex- 
ercise condescension,  and  go  in  and  out  before 
the  primitive  believers,  as  they  couhl  bear  it  ?— • 
Was  not  this  evidently  the  case  on  divers  other 
occasions? — Did  not  Paul,  in  communicating  to 
Ihe  brethren  at  Jerusalem  how  it  was  that  he 
preached  the  gospel  among  the  Gentiles,  to  wit, 
void  of  ceremonies,  and  without  circumcision,  do 
it  privately,  to  such  only  as  were  grown  in  the 
truth,  and  able  to  see  the  propriety  of  it,  and  to 
understand  that  the  gospel  has  no  such  outward 
observations?  Gal.  ii.  2. — Does  he  not  say,  that 
this  his  care  to  avoid  a  general  communication 
to  all  was,  "  lest  he  should  run,  or  had  run  in 
vain?"  Might  it  not  have  been  wholly  in  vain 
for  Paul  to  attempt  benefiting  the  believers  that 
were  of  the  circumcision  at  Jerusalem,  if  he  had 
bluntly  at  first  declared  offhand,  that  circum- 
cision was  abolished?  And  was  not  this  about 
the  year  of  our  Lord  fifty-two,  and  about  the 
seventeenth  year  of  Paui's  apostleship  ? 

Is  it  strange,  then,  that  he  had  to  circumcise 
Timothy,  purify  in  the  temple,  &c.  on  account 
of  the  wrong  zeal  and  attachments  of  the  Jews, 
seeing  so  late  in  the  day  circumcision  so  far  main- 
tained its  ground,  that  he  had  probably  run  in 


A  GOSPEL   ORDINANCE;  135 

vain,  if  he  had  not  avoided  an  open  declaration 
of  its  being  no  gospel  ordinance?— And  is  it  any 
stranger,  that  Jolm's  baptism  should  be  in  too 
high  estimation  to  be  easily  laid  aside  at  once? 
Is  water  baptism  once  called  Christ's  in  all  the 
Bible?  Is  it  once  called  a  gospel  ordinance?  Did 
Christ  ever  practise  it?  Was  John's  baptism 
Christ's?  If  not,  -were  Christ's  twelve  disciples 
ever  baptized  with  Christ's  baptism,  or  not?  If 
Christ's  is  water,  and  yet  not  the  same  of  John's, 
who  baptized  these  Apostles,  seeing  Jesus  bap- 
tized none  in  water?  And  we  never  read  of  the 
Apostles  being  baptized  therein  by  any  but  John. 
I  have  often  mentioned,  that  the  design  of  water 
baptism  was,  that  Christ  and  his  baptism  might 
be  made  manifest  to  Israel :  and  as  this  was  fully 
done  to  the  Apostles,  as  to  his  outward  coming, 
they  needed  no  more  water  baptism  ;  and  it  seems 
pretty  evident  they  had  no  more  than  was  ad- 
ministered to  them  by  John. — But  if  the  com- 
mission, Mat.  xxviii.  19,  was  water,  and  differ- 
ent from  John's,  why  were  they  not  baptized 
with  it  themselves,  before  they  went  forth  to 
baptize  others?  Is  it  not  plain,  that  that  com- 
mission, as  then  verbally  delivered,  did  not  qua- 
lify them  with  power  to  administer  the  baptism 
mentioned  in  it  ?  Were  they  not  to  wait  for 
" power  from  on  high?"  Were  they  ever  able  to 
administer  that  baptism,  till  they  were  first  bap- 
tized with  the  Holy  Ghost  themselves? — Is  not 
this  a  confirmation  that,  as  they  had  first  receiv- 
ed and  then  oft  administered  John's  baptism  be- 
fore, without  this  more  powerful  endowment  and 
qualification,  but  could  not  administer  Christ's 
without  it,    that  Christ's  was   quite  a   different 


136  THE    BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

thing  from  John's,  and  out  of  their  reach  or  a- 
bility  to  communicate,  but  as  it  was  poured  upon 
them  from  on  high,  and  flowed  through  them 
upon  others?  «'  Behold  how  good  and  how  plea* 
sant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity; 
it  is  like  the  precious  ointment  upon  the  head, 
that  ran  down  upon  the  beard,  even  Aaron's 
beard,  that  went  down  to  the  skirls  of  his  gar- 
ments: as  the  dew  of  Hermon,  and  as  the  dew 
that  descended  upon  the  mountains  of  Zion; 
for  there  the  Lord  commanded  *  he  blessing,  even 
life  for  evermore,"  Psalm  cxxxiii.  Is  there  no- 
thing in  the  descending  of  this  precious  oint- 
ment, even  down  to  the  very  skirts  of  the  gar- 
ment, in  likeness  of  tin  living  unity  of  the  breth- 
ren, like  the  dew  on  Mount  Hermon;  and  like 
the  Lord's  blessing  on  Mount  Zionj  that  may 
give  us  some  idea  of  the  communication  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  through  the  baptized  Apostles,  to 
and  upon  the  souls  of  the  people? — And  is  not 
this  the  one  plain  reason  why  they  could  not  ad- 
minister Ctirist's  baptism  tiil  livmgly  baptized 
themselves,  as  the  oil  couk.  not.  descend  to  the 
skirts  tiil  it  was  poured  upon  the  head  of  Aaron  ? 
And  let  it  be  once  tor  all  seriously  considered — 
ought  we  not  to  hold  it  as  a  certainty,  that  il  the 
baptism  hi  the  commission  had  been  water,  the 
Apostles  would  have  been  first  baptized  with  it 
themselves?  Or  can  we  suppose  tlu-'i  having 
been  baptized  with  John's  baptism,  t  y  John,  be- 
fore they  became  Christ's  disciples,  sufficient  to 
authorize  them  to  administer  Christ's?  But  even 
though  this  were  granted,  will  any  say  the 
Apostk-s  never  received  Christian  baptism  them- 
selves ?  If  Christ's  is  water,  and  yet  not  John's, 


-     A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  137 

how  could  it  possibly  be  dispensed  with,  in  the 
case  of  the  Apostles— in  the  case  of  A  polios,  and 
the  many  which  Paul  taught,  and  begat  unto 
God,  but  did  not  baptize  in  water? — We  read 
of  none  sent  expressly  to  baptize  in  water,  but 
John.  If,  then  Christ's  baptism  had  been  icith 
water,  and  yet  not  the  same  with  John's,  ought 
not  Christ  himself  to  have  baptized  his  disciples 
with  it,  before  he  sent  them  to  baptize  others,  see- 
ing we  have  no  account  of  any  other  hut  him- 
self, that  had  any  authority  to  administer  his 
baptism,  till  first  baptized  with  it  by  him  ? — Who 
among  the  sons  of  men  had  a  right  to  administer 
his  baptism,  before  they  were  baptized  with  it 
themselves  ?  If  none  had  a  ri^ht  so  to  do,  then  if 
his  was  with  ivatcr,  and  yet  different  from  John's, 
is  it  not  certain  that  his  Apostles  never  received 
it,  seeing  "  Jesus  himself  baptized  not''  with  wa- 
ter, and  none  else  had  any  right  to  administer 
Ms  baptism,  till  themselves  were  baptized  with 
it?— Does  it  not,  therefore,  plainly  appear,  that 
there  is  no  other  baptism  with  outward  water  but 
Johns?  And  did  not  Jesus  himself  wholly  avoid 
baptizing  any  in  water,  on  purpose  that  it  might 
plainly  appear  that  there  is  another  ?  Or  if  there 
is  any  other  with  water  but  John's,  when,  where, 
and  by  whom  did  it  begin  ? — Who  first  dared  to 
administer  it?  Would  it  now  be  thought  lawful 
among  the  Baptists  for  any  to  administer  the 
baptism  of  water,  who  had  not  received  it?  And 
would  it  not  have  been  very  arrogating  for  any 
one  in  that  day  to  have  intruded  himself  into  the 
office  of  an  administrator  ot  Christ1  s  baptism, 
who  had  never  himself  received  it?  Or,  had  any 
so  done 3  how  would  that  convey  a  right  to  those 


138  THE    BAPTISM    Of    CHlliSi 

by  such  an  one  baptized,  to  baptize  others?  I 
think  we  have  all  the  reason  we  have  a  right  to 
desire  to  conclude,  if  Christ  had  ordained  water 
baptism,  he  would  have  administered  it  to  those 
he  had  sent  to  administer  it  to  others.  And  I 
rest  firmly  persuaded  he  never  did  ordain  it,  but 
that  all  the  water  baptism  now  practised  among 
Christians  is  derived  from  John,  or  else  is  alto- 
gether, unauthorized  in  the  New  Testament. 
-And  why  do  those  who  now  use  it,  use  a  form 
of  words  never  once  used  by  any  of  the  Apostles  ? 
If  they  say  Christ  commanded  it,  then  why  did 
not  his  Apostles  obey  his  command  ?  Is  not  this 
another  strong  evidence  that  they  were  not  com- 
manded any  form  of  words  at  all,  nor  any  use  of 
water,  but  that  the  words,  into  the  name,  &c.  as 
plainly  shew  into  ichat  they  were  to  baptize,  as 
water  would  have  been  plainly  shown,  had  the 
commission  been  expressly  to  baptize  into  water  ? 

It  is  urged  by  son  e,  that  putting  on  Christ, 
which  all  do  who  are  baptized  into  him,  Gal,  iii. 
'27,  is  giving  up  their  names  to  Christ  in  water 
baptism:  but  of  those  baptized  into  Christ,  in 
ihe  Apostle's  sense,  he  here  declares,  "  ye  are 
all  one  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  if  ye  be  Christ's, 
then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  accord  ng 
to  the  promise,"  28,  £9;  that  is  real  heirs  oi 
God,  aid  joint  he'us  with  Christ.  This  certain- 
ly is  not  true  of  as  many  as  are  baptized  into 
water,  though  it  certainly  is  true  of  as  ?7ia?iy  as 
are  baptized  into  Christ.  Putting  on  Christ  is 
therefore  plainly  thus,  "  put  ye  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  make  not  provision  for  the 
flesh,  to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof."  Rom.  xiii.  14; 


-   A  GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  139 

that  is,  "  cast  of  the  works  of  darkness,  and  let 
ns  put  on  the  armour  of  light,"  v.  12.  This  is 
directly  baptism  into  the  name*  for  "God  is 
light,"  and  Christ  is  light;  and  putting  on  the 
whole  armour  of  light,  is  truly  putting  on  Christ 
in  baptism.  And  it  is  very  strikingly  observable, 
that  divers  texts  speak  expressly  of  baptism  into 
Christ;  thus  preserving  the  very  intent  and  ten- 
or of  the  commission;  for  as  all  the  fulness  of 
the  GotUread  dwelleth  in  him,  and  as  these  texts 
express  baptism  positively  as  being  into  him,  and 
verbally  in  his  name,  as  was  the  case  Constantly 
when  water  was  used,  it  is  as  evident  as  any  thing 
can  well  be.  that  this  baptism  into  him  is  really 
putting  on  him,  the  life,  the  substance,  the  whole- 
armour  of  light— and  that  this  answers  the  com- 
mission exactly,  being  into  the  name,  the  life,  the 
power,  che  eternal  virtue  tiself;  and  not  into 
water,  or  any  thing  else,  merely  and  verbally  in 
the  name.— I  think  this  meaning  of  the  words, 
into  the  name,  &c.  is  much  confirmed  by  a  pas- 
sage in  the  forementioned  "  plain  account." 
The  author  pleads  wholly  for  immersion  of  adults 
in  water;  and  to  maintain  it  against  sprinkling 
of  infants  he  says,  p.  43,  44,  "  the  word  in  Mat- 
thew, rendered  teach  is  not  the  word  commonly 
rendered  teach  in  the  New  Testament.  The 
word  commonly  used  is  DIDASKO,  which 
occurs  very  often  ;  but  the  other  word,  MA- 
TH ETEUO,  teach,  in  the.  baptismal  commis- 
sion ot  Matthew,  is  used  only  three  times  more 
in  all  the  New  Testament.  Mat.  xiii.  52,  every 
scribe  WHiCH  IS  INSTRUCTED  into  the 
kingdom  of  Heaven.  Mat.  xxvii  57,  Joseph, 
who  also  himself  was  JESUS'  DISCIPLE,  Acts 


140  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

xiv.  21,  when  they  had  preached  the  gospel  to 
that  city,  and  HAD  TAUGHT  many.  They 
did  not  (says  he)  barely  preach  the  gospel,  but 
taught  so  effectually,  as  to  prevail  on  many  to 
become  disciples  or  believers.  This  is  the  plain 
import  of  the  original." 

Does  not  this  make  strongly  in  favour  of  the 
Quakers'  doctrine  ?  Does  it  not  shew  the  teach" 
iug,  mentioned  in  this  great  commission,  was  to 
be  with  divine  power,  and  to  prevail  effectually 
to  discipleship?— -Was  not  this  the  reason  they 
were  commanded  to  wait  to  be  endued  with 
power  from  on  high,  because  they  were  now 
far  otherwise  to  baptize  people  than  they  had 
done  before?  They  were  now  to  disciple  them  ; 
that  is,  teach  them  so  livingly  and  etFectually, 
as  truly  to  baptize  them  into  the  name,  &c.  Why 
else  was  this  word  MATHETEUO  used  here, 
to  express  this  peculiar  kind  of  powerful  disci- 
pling,  or  baptismal  teaching  ?  a  word  used  but 
three  times  more,  as  this  author  himself  says,  in 
all  the  New  Testament. — He  further  says,  in 
the  same  page,  that  this  word  "  implies  teaching 
full  as  much  as  the  more  common  word,  Dl- 
DASKO.  The  difference  is,  that  the  former 
has  a  more  precise  and  determinate  meaning, 
conveying  to  the  Apostles  this  idea,  viz,  so 
teach  the  people  as  to  persuade  them  to  become 
my  disciples.^ 

Now,  serious  reader,  seeing  this  passage  does 
mean  teaching,  but  at  the  same  time  is  so  very 
precise  and  determinate  in  its  meaning,  as  to 
convey  a  clear  idea  of  the  great  difference  from 


A    GOSPEL  ORDINANCE.  141 

the  simple  common  meaning  of  the  word  teach, 
plainly  signifying  to  make  dUciples  by  teaching, 
that  is,  to  teach  or  disciple  all  nations,  baptizing 
them  :  let  us  see  how  the  three  other  passages, 
where  it  is  used,  will  concur  with  the  doctrine 
of  baptism  into  the  name,  &c.  The  first  is  Mat. 
xiii.  52,  "  every  scribe  which  is  instructed  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven."— This  is  the  same 
word  that  is  rendered  teach  in  the  commission  : 
and  here  the  scribe  is  instructed,  taught  or  dis- 
cipled  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'' — I  think 
this  is  the  very  baptism  enjoined  in  that  com- 
mission :  it  is  into  the  very  life  and  substance 
intended  by  the  name,  to  wit,  the  life,  strength 
and  virtue  of  the  kingdom  ;  the  strong  tower  oi 
safety,  which  the  fiame  of  the  Lord  ever  is  to 
the  righteous,  the  well  instructed  or  truly  disci- 
pled  scribe.  And  we  see  this  scribe  is  initiated 
into  the  kingdom  by  teaching,  and  that  the  very 
teaching,  discipline  or  instructing,  which  is  en- 
joined in  the  commission,  and  which  therefore 
required  power  from  on  high  to  perform,  be- 
cause it  was  a  very  different  and  much  more 
effectual  teaching  (as  this  author  maintains)  thau 
that  expressed  by  the  common  word  DIDAS- 
KO,  teach.  The  second  passage  is  Mat.  xxvii, 
57 ,  "  Joseph  who  also  himself  was  Jesus'  disci- 
ple." It  seems  plainly  this;  he  had  beet)  taught, 
instructed,  discipled,  in  this  more  powerful  way 
of  teaching  than  that  meant  by  the  other  word 
didasko ;  that  is,  he  was  a  scribe  well  instructed 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven— or  baptized  into 
the  eternal  holy  name,  which  is  the  same  thing; 
for  none  can  be  a  disciple  of  Christ  without  his 
saving  baptism* 

N  2 


142  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

The  third  passage  is  Acts  xiv.  21,  "  when  they 
had  preached  the  gospel  to  that  city,  and  had 
taught  many"— that  is,  according  to  this  author's 
own  words,  taught  so  effectually  as  to  prevail 
on  many  to  become  disciples'1  "  This"  (he  adds) 
"  is  the  plain  import  of  the  original."  Then,  it 
seems,  they  taught  them  just  according  to  the 
commission;  and  by  which  teaching  they  must 
have  been  baptized  into  the  name;  or  (which  is 
the  same  thing)  instructed  or  disci  pled  into  the 
kingdom. — But  this  sensible  author  adds  further, 
"  the  common  appellation  of  Christian  believers 
occurring  in  very  numerous  passages  of  the  New 
Testament,  is  "MATHETAI,  disciples.  "As 
this"  (says  he)  is  the  usual  name  of  believers  in 
Christ,  we  have  the  verb  of  it  in  our  Lord's  com- 
mission, where  he  bids  his  followers  to  go  and 
make  converts  to  him  throughout  the  world  ;" 
and  p.  45,  he  quotes  "  Whitby's  note  on  Mat. 
xxviii.  19,"  that  is  on  the  very  commission  itself 
—saying,  *'  I  desire  any  one  to  tell  me  how  the 
Apostles  could  matheteuin,  make  a  disciple  of 
an  heathen,  or  unbelieving  Jew,  without  being 
mathetai,  or  teachers  of  them." — By  ail  which 
it  is  clear,  that  both  the  learned  Whitby,  and 
this  learned  author,  were  sensible  that  this  ex- 
traordinary kind  of  teaching  was  making  disci- 
ples of  Christ,  believers  in  and  real  living  converts 
to  him  :  and  it  is  certain  none  are  such  without 
baptism  into  him— his  disciples,  all  true  believers, 
.all  his  sincere  converts,  throughout  the  world, 
are  baptized  by  the  owe  spirit  into  one  body  ;  they 
drink  all  into  one  spirit,  and  are  thus  initiated, 
as  well  huh  ncted  scribes,  into  the  kingdom  of 
Vcaven.— Is  it  not  marvellous  that  this  writer  was 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  143 

not,  by  the  time  he  had  seen  and  written  thus 
much,  so  far  instructed  into  it  himself,  as  to 
have  seen  with  equal  clearness,  that  no  part  of 
all  this  had  any  thing  to  do  with  elementary 
water  f — He  maintains  that  the  word  baptizo 
always  means  immersion  or  bathing  all  over  in 
meter;  and  rejects  the  sprinklers'  notions  re~ 
specting  1  Cor.  x.  2,  "and  were  all  baptized 
unto  Moses  in  the  cloud,  and  in  the  sea."  The 
sprinklers'  ideas  on  this  passage  he  represents 
thus,  p.  28,  "  the  cloud  which  hung  over  the 
children  of  Israel  is  a  watery  substance,  sprink- 
ling its  water  in  drops.  The  sea.  which  was  as 
a  wall  unto  them  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the 
left,  by  force  of  the  strong  wind  which  blew, 
sent  forth  a  great  spray  or  sprinkling.  So  they 
were  plentifully  sprinkled  by  the  cloud  above, 
and  by  the  waters  on  each  side."  This  he  can- 
not agree  to.  Let  us  see  how  he  understands 
it,  and  whether  he  mends  the  matter.  He 
thinks  "  a  man  of  plain  sense,  not  thinking  of 
this  cloud  or  pillar  of  fire,  dropping  down  wa- 
ter, but  of  opinion— that  the  baptism  of  scrip- 
ture is  immersion,  would  be  apt  to  carry  his 
thoughts  no  further  than  to  apprehend  here  is 
an  allusion  to  the  custom  oi'immerion;  the  Israel- 
ites being,  as  it  were,  covered  with  i  he'cloud  over, 
and  the  waters  on  each  side  of  them.*'  Thus 
they  stumble  on  every  hand,  who  are  vainly 
contending  ior  the  figures.  His  remark  is  very 
just,  that  a  man  of  plain  sense  would  not  think 
of  drops  of  water  from  a  pillar  of  fire :  and  me- 
thinks  it  requires  a  little  more  than  plain  sense 
to  understand  immersion  all  over  in  water  from 
this  passage;  but  though  a  man  "of  opinion 


144  THE    BAPTI3JI  OS    CHS  i 

that  the  baptism  of  scripture  is  immersion," 
might  be  very  likely  to  stop  short  of  the  sub" 
stance,  and  apprehend  nothing  further  than  an 
"allusion  to  the  custom  of  immersion;"  yet  I 
do  not  see  why  a  man  of  real  plain  sense  may 
not  query  how  a  pillar  of  fire  can  represent  im~ 
mersion  in  water?  Or  how  going  through  the 
sea  on  dry  land,  as  a  firm  foundation,  points  out 
bathing  all  over  in  that  fluctuating,  unstable  ele- 
ment? The  Apostle  in  this  passage  expressly 
declares,  they  eat  the  same  spiritual  meat,  and 
that  they  drank  of  that  spiritual  rock  that  fol- 
lowed them,  and  that  rock  was  Christ.  Hence 
it  appears,  they  ate  and  drank  the  very  substance 
which  the  saints  in  all  ages  live  by.  This  in- 
deed they  must  have  eaten,  or  else  have  had  no 
divine  life  in  them.  Eating  the  outward  emblems 
of  it  never  gave  divine  life  to  the  soul  any 
more  than  outward  baptism.  Their  eating  the 
outward  ?nannatand  drinking  outward  wafer  from 
the  rock,  could  never  make  their  souls  alive  to  God, 
and  was  but  typicalof  that  "spiritual  meat"  which 
they  also  and  as  truly  ate,  as  they  did  the  outward ; 
and  of  "  that  spiritual  rock  whereof  they  drank; 
for  that  rock  was  Christ.'*  And  why  may  not 
plain  sense  look  a  little  further  than  to  an  "  al- 
lusion to  the  custom  of  immersion"  for  the  sub" 
stance  of  their  baptism,  as  well  as  for  the  sub- 
stance of  their  eating  and  drinking  !  For  seeing 
they  did  truly  feed  in  greater  or  less  degree  on 
Clirist  in  spirit^  as  well  as  of  outward  manna, 
&c.  and  so  enjoyed  something  on  the  very  life 
and  substance  of  the  Lord's  supper  ;  why  may  we 
not  believe  they  were  in  degree  substantially 
baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  and 


.       A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  145 

conformity  to  his  death,  as  well  as  into  those 
deep  outward  trials  and  afflictions,  so  pressingly 
experienced  by  them,  whilst  conducted  by  the 
pillar  of  fire,  and  whiist  pursued  by  their  ene- 
mies at  and  into  the  midst  of  the  red  sea  ?  And 
thus  the  word  baptize  may  answer  as  well  to 
plunging  xntofiery  trials,  as  into  water. 

Our  Saviour  says,  4*  I  have  a  baptism  to  be 
baptized  with,  and  how  am  I  straitened  till  it  be 
accomplished,"  Luke  x'n.  50.  And  can  it  be 
doubted  that  those  who  really  fed  on  Christ  in 
spirit,  in  that  day,  were  in  degree  truly  baptized 
with  him  into  sufferings,  and  in  some  degree  at 
least  buried  with  him  intocteai^  ?  In  this  way  I 
think  we  may  see  $omQi\\\ing further  in  their  bap- 
tism than  outward  immersion,  and  thus  rescue 
the  pi  liar  of  fire  from  either  aropping  down  water, 
or  importing  immersion  intoit;  and  indeed  there 
seems  little  or  no  sense  in  the  passage  under- 
stood as  speaking  of  either :  for  suppose  we  un- 
derstand with  the  plain  account  "  an  allusion  to 
the  custom  of  immersion,"  it  then  amounts  to 
this— immersion  in  water  is  a  figure  otpurijica- 
tion— -and  Israel's  passage  through  the  sea  is  a 
figure  of  ihsX  figure  \  or  that  the  Apostle,  in  his 
assertion  here,  that  they  were  baptized,  only  had 
an  allusion  to  that  figure.  Now,  it  it  was  nothing 
but  a  figure  of  a  figure,  I  see  not  how  he  could 
positively  in  truth  say,  they  were  baptized,— 
Either  they  were,  or  were  not-— if  they  were  pro- 
perly baptized,  it  was  inward  or  outward  ;  if  it 
was  outward,  and  a  proper  water  baptism,  then 
either  dipping,  sprinkling,  or  any  thing  that  has 
a  little  resemblance  and  will  bear  an  "allusion 
to  the  custom  of  immersion,"  may,  for  aught  1 


140  THE   BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

can  perceive,  be  called  baptism.  Why  then 
contend  so  long  and  loud  about  the  precise  mode 
of  it  ?  If  Paul  meant  as  he  said,  that  they  icere 
baptized,  I  think  he  must  mean  spiritually  :  but 
if  any  will  have  it  mean  outward  irater  baptism, 
do  they  not  at  once  introduce  a  third  kind,  or  a 
third  mode  of  it,  different  from  either  immersion 
or  sprinkling  ?  At  any  rate,  and  turn  it  every 
way,  will  not  the  resuit  be,  either  that  Paul  did 
not  mean  as  he  said,  that  they  really  tvere  bap- 
tized, but  only  that  their  passage  resembled 
baptism,  and  may  bear  an  allusion  to  it,  or  that 
he  meant  an  outward  baptism,  without  either 
dipping  or  sprinkling,  or  that  he  meant  an  in- 
ward and  spiritual  baptism  ?  The  two  first  mean- 
ings I  should  suppose  most  if  not  all  would,  on 
due  consideration,  reject—the  last  I  am  con- 
firmed is,  as  before  evinced,  the  genuine  mean- 
ing of  the  Apostle.  He  is  here  pressing  it  upon 
the  once  livingly  baptized  among  the  Corin- 
thians, to  hold  out  to  the  end,  A  few  verses  be- 
fore (see  the  preceding  chapter,  1  Cor.  ix.  24)  he 
says,  U  so  run  that  ye  may  obtain,"  25th,  M  every 
man  that  striveth  for  the  mastery  is  temperate 
in  all  things.  Now  they  do  it  to  obtain  a  cor- 
ruptible crown,  but  we  an  incorruptible.  26th, 
I  therefore  so  run,  not  as  uncertainly  ;  so  fight  I, 
not  as  one  that  beateth  the  air;  87*  but  1  keep 
under  my  body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection,  lest 
that  by  any  means,  when  I  have  preached  to 
others,  1  myself  should  be  a  castaway."  Here 
he  urges  his  own  subjection,  and  the  temperance 
of  others,  as  examples;  and  then,  to  enforce  the 
caution,  impresses  the  danger  ol  their  falling  short, 
and  if  possible  prevent  their  becoming  cast- 
aways, he  pertinently  reminds  them  how  it  fared 


-      A   GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  147 

with  some  of  the  ancient  fathers  who  came  out 
of  Egypt  with  Moses;  and  who,  though  they 
had  partaken  of  the  true  spiritual  baptism,  meat 
and  drink  of  the  saints,  yet  afterwards  (such  is 
the  weakness  and  danger  cf  man)  they  lusted  af- 
ter evil  things— murmured — tempted  God— 'Com- 
mitted idolatry  and  fornication — and  so  were 
overthrown  in  the  wilderness.— And  in  full  con- 
firmation that  his  aim  in  all  this  was  io  warn  the 
Corinthians  he  declare?,  "  these  things  were  our 
examples,  to  the  intent  that  we  should  not  lust 
after  evil  things,  as  they  also  lusted,"  not  tempt 
Christ,  nor  murmur,  &c.  asitfieydid  ;  and  strik. 
ingly  adds,  "  wherefore  let  him  thatthinketh  he 
sfandeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall,"  v.  12.  Perhaps 
all  will  agree,  that  those  thus  warned  by  Paul 
had  received  Christian  baptism,  whether  it 
be  agreed  or  not  what  that  was  ;  and  if  Chris- 
tians were  in  all  that  great  danger  of  falling,  af- 
ter the. example  of  unbelief  and  apostacy  here 
exhibited  by  him,  and  if  this  example  was  perti- 
nent to  their  slate  and  danger,  does  not  that  per- 
tinency consist  much  in  the  Israelites  having 
known  a  good  degree  of  that  which  is  saving,  and 
turning  from  it?  Nehemiah  testifies,  that  the 
Lord  saw  their  affliction  in  Egypt,  and  heard  their 
cry  by  the  red  sea,  and  gave  also  his  good  Spirit 
to  instruct  them,  X^eh.  ix.  9,  20.  God  was  so 
near  and  attentive  -to  them,  that  he  not  only  led 
ihem  by  ;  he  even  went  himself  before  them  in 
the  pillar  of  cloud  and  of  fire. 

Let  none  therefore  marvel  that  Paul  says  they 
were  baptized  in  the  cloud,  seeing  that  holy  pre- 
sence  was  actually   there,  into   which* all   the 


148  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

spiritual  Israel  are  baptized. — Moses  tells  them, 
Deuf.  v.  4,  "the  Lord  talked  with  you  face  to 
fate" — and  Isaiah  calls  them  the  ransomed,  testi- 
fying, li.  10,  that  the  Lord  "  made  the  depth  of 
the  sea  a  way  for  the  ransomed  to  pass  over."— 
But  in  regard  to  their  passage  through  the  sea,  it 
is  evident  the  cloud  was  not  then  over  them,  but 
behind  them.  —It  had  gone  before  them ;  but  just 
before  their  going  through,  we  read,  "  the  angel 
of  God,  which  went  before  the  camp  of  Israel, 
removed  and  went  behind  them;  and  the  pi  liar  of 
the  cloud  went  from  before  their  face,  and  stood 
behind  them"  Exod.  xiv.  19.  So  that  unless  im- 
mersion all  over  into  and  under  water,  or  at  least 
an  allusion  to  it,  can  be  gathered  from  their 
going  through  the  sea  as  on  dry  ground,  with  a 
cloudy  and  fiery  pillar  behind  them,  I  cannot  see 
any  thing  more  in  it  for  immersion,  than  for 
sprinkling ;  and  in  fact  it  appears  to  have  nothing 
io  do  with  either. 

This  author  says,  p.  41,  "the  disciples  of 
Christ,  during  his  ministry  on  earth,  as  well  as 
the  disciples  of  John,  were  very  well  acquainted 
with  the  institution  of  baptism  ;"  and  agrees  wrtii 
Whitby,  that  "  they  only  baptized,  as  John  had 
done,  into  the  faith  of  the  Messiah  which  was  to 
come,  and  with  that  baptism  of  repentance, 
which  prepared  the  Jews  for  the  reception  of  his 
kingdom."  By  this  it  is  conceded,  that  during 
Christ's  ministry  on  earth,  that  baptism  which 
his  disciples  used  was  the  same  as  John's.  No 
wonder  then  Christ  never  used  it  himself;  and 
as  he  never  once  used  it  either  before  or  after  his 
resurrection, as  we  don't  find  his  twelve  Apostles 


A  -GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  140 

were  ever  baptized  in  water,  but  only  into  John's 
baptism,  as  before  noticed,  it  seems  clear  to  me, 
that  Christ's  commission  does  not  contain  water 
baptism.— His  injunction  to  teach  the  people  all 
things  that  he  had  commanded  them,  includes 
no  such  observation;  fo;  he  had  not  command- 
ed it,  nor  does  it  appear  that  the  disciples  ever 
used  it,  after  Christ  gave  them  this  commission, 
in  any  wise  as  a  different  ordinance  from  what  it 
had  been  before.  If  it  was  John's,  and  used  by 
them  as  his  before,  it  was  afterwards  but  a  con- 
tinuation of  the  same  ordinance.  It  no  where 
in  all  the  Bible  appears  to  be  an  ordinance  of 
Christ ;  but  having  been  in  great  veneration,  was 
indulgently  continued  through  weakness,  even 
•after  the  resurrection. 

Nothing  can  be  gospel  baptism,  that  is  not  sav- 
ing :  it  is  the  soul  that  needs  purgation;  the 
baptism  which  effects  this,  cannot  be  that  which 
is  merely  with  elementary  water;  but  must  be 
that  which  burns  up  the  filth,  and  removes  the 
defilement;  that  is,  the  baptism  into  the  name, 
the  life,  the  cleansing  virtue  of  the  divine  nature. 
Christ's  baptism  is  ever  described  as  saving,  and 
none  were  ever  saved  without  it.  We  all  know 
that  baptism  into  icater  may  be  received  by  such 
as  are  not  in  any  degree  saved;  and  I  think,  if 
we  exercise  but  the  common  reason  of  mankind, 
we  must  see,  that  if  water  baptism  were  saving, 
it  were  a  constant  miracle,  and  that  as  oft  repeat- 
ed as  it  proved  saving,  even  as  truly  a  miracle  as 
the  turning  water  into  wine  ;  for  there  is  nothing 
in  a  bare  washing  in  outward  water,  that  has 
any  more  effect  towards  an  inward  cleansing, 
O 


150  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

than  there  is  in  anointing  with  oil,  or  shaving  off 
the  hair.  If  therefore  it  were  the  baptism  of 
Christ,  it  must  either  be  a  standing  miraculous 
purification  of  souls  by  outward  application,  ora 
thing  not  saving;  but  the  baptism  of  Christ  is 
that  which  now  saves  vs,  and  is  in  its  own  nature 
and  operation  as  truly  and  constantly  saving  to 
the  soul,  as  washing  in  water  is  cleansing  to  the 
body.  In  proportion  to  the  degree  in  which  the 
body  is  washed  in  water,  it  is  cleansed  by  the 
outward  putting  away  the  filth  of  the  flesh  ;  and 
in  proportion  to  the  degree  in  which  any  soul 
experienceth  the  baptism  of  Christ,  it  infallibly 
pr^duceth  inward  sancti  heat  ion,  by  putting 
away  the  filth  of  the  spirit.  That  name  into 
which  all  the  saints  are  baptized  is  such,  that 
their  baptism  into  it  must  purity.  Purification 
is  the  very  thing  itself,  and  that  is  the  one  plain 
reason  why  it  not  only  is,  but  must  he,  a  baptism 
into  the  holy  na me:  "for  there  is  none  other 
name  under  heaven  given  among  men  whereby 
we  must  be  saved,"  Acts  iv.  19.  It  is  truly  by 
the  name,  that  we  are  saved;  for  this  divine  and 
living  M  name  is  as  ointment  poured  forth,"  Cant. 
i.  3.  This  is  the  "  unction  from  the  holy  one," 
1  John  ii.  20.  "The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a 
strong  tower ;  the  righteous  runneth  into  it,  and 
is  sale,''  Prov.  xviii.  10.  Well  may  they  be  safe 
in  this  name,  seeing  the  baptism  into  it  is  ever 
saving. 

Deeply  sensible  that  there  was  no  other  salva- 
tion, the  Psalmist  prays,  liv.  1,  "save  me,  O 
Cod,  by  thy  name  ;"  and  Jeremiah  says,  x.  $ 
"  thy  name  is  great  in  might."     Indeed  his  name 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  151 

is  the  strength  and  salvation  of  his  people;  none 
can  run  into  his  name,  or  be  gathered  into  it,  or 
baptized  into  it,  but  they  must  at  the  same  time 
be  gathered  and  baptized  into  him. — Hence  the 
scripture  phrase,  "  baptized  into  Christ;"  and 
hence  also  the  absolute  certainty  that  where 
two  or  three  are  gathered  into  his  name,  there  he 
is  in  the  midst  of  them.  See  Mat.  xviii.20.  He 
doth  not  simply  promise  that  he  wfll  he;  he  de- 
clares  "  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them ;"  for  he 
knew  none  could  gather  into  his  name,  where  he 
himself  was  not.  The  Greek  word,  truly  trans- 
lated, is  into;  the  same  word  used  in  Christ's 
baptismal  commission,  and  with  great  propriety  ; 
for  none  can  be  gathered  into  him  who  are  not 
baptized  intohim— neither  gathering  in  his  name, 
nor  baptism  in  it,  professionally,  availeth. — The 
promise  of  salvation  is  sure  to  none  but  those 
who  are  truly  gathered  and  baptized  into  the 
name  itself  \  and  to  these  it  cannot  fail;  for  the 
name  has  all  healing  virtue  in  it.  **  Holy  Fa- 
ther" (says  Christ)  "  keep  through  thine  own 
name  those  whom  thou  hast  given  me  that  they 
may  be  one,  as  we  are,"  John  xvii.  11.  "  While 
I  was  with  them  in  the  world,  I  kept  them  in 
thy  name"  12.  "  If  ye  shall  ask  any  thing"  (says 
he)  •'  in  my  name,  1  will  do  it,"  xiv.  14.  This 
can  never  fail,  any  more  than  salvation  can  fail 
to  such  as  are  truly  and  thoroughly  baptized  into 
his  name  ;  for  as  this  baptism  is  salvation,  so  ask- 
ing in  \\'m  name  is  in  his  own  life,  spirit  and  pow- 
er, and  he  cannot  deny  himself.  As  the  Father 
always  hears  him,  because  his  asking  is  in  the 
Father's  life  and  power;  so  he  always  hears,  and 
cannot  avoid  hearing,   all  who  ask  in  his  name; 


152  THE    BAPTI9M    OF   CHRIST 

for  the  one  plain  and  all-sufficient  reason,  thar 
his  name  is  his  life  and  spirit  his  power  and  pre- 
sence; and  all  done  in  it,  is  done  to  purpose  ; 
for  therein  there  is  no  lack— therein  is  fulness, 
and  divine  sufficiency.  We  are  complete  there- 
in forever,  without  any  of  the  signs  or  symbol* 
•f  fojmer  dispensations. 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE,  153 


CHAPTER  VIT, 


■Paul's  epistles  to  the  Gaktians  and  Colossians  written  pur- 
posely to  dissuade  from  attachment  to  shadowy  ordinan- 
ces. Circumcision,  water  baptism,  &c.  plainly  super- 
ceded ;  and  true  Christians  shewn  to  be  complete  in 
Christ  without  them.  This  the  evident  scope  of  the3e 
epistles.  This  chapter  contains  many  quotations  from, 
and  remarks  on  them. 

SEVERAL  cf  the  epistles  seem  to  have  been 
written  on  purpose  to  dissuade  from  attachment 
to  and  retention  of  the  rituals  of  shadowy  dis- 
pensations, Paul  having  his  knowledge  of  Christ 
by  immediate  revelation,  knew  the  dispensation 
of  figurative  institutions  was  ended;  and  that 
Christians  viewing  lifeless  signs  as  gospel  ordi- 
nances, must  powerfully  divert  and  detain  them 
from  the  living,  saving  substance  :  hence  he  pres* 
singly  invites  to  Christ,  the  life  and  substance, 
and  warns  against  a  continuance  of  ceremonials, 
— His  epistles  to  the  Galatians  and  Colossians, 
and  a  good  deal  of  several  others,  are  fit II  to  this 
purpose.  Some  troublesome  persons  had  got  in 
among  the  Galatinns,  insisting,  on  circumcision, 
and  the  rites  of  the  law;  and  had  so  influenced 
the  believers,  that  this  inspired  Apostle  vehe- 
mently expostulates  with  them  for  being  so  easily 
shaken  from  grace  (of  itself  sufficient  for  all)  and 
turned  to  elementary  observances,  chap.  i.  6,  7. 
"  I  marvel  that  ye  are  so  soon  removed  from 
him  that  called  you  into  the^race  ofChrkt%  unto 
O  2 


154  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

another  gospel  "  But  as  rituals  are  not  of  the 
gospel,  he  immediately  adds,  "  which  is  not 
another ;  but  there  be  some  that  trouble  you, 
and  would  pervert  the  gospel  of  Christ."— Indeed 
every  attempt  to  establish  ceremonial  institutions 
as  gospel  ordinances,  is  directly  an  attempt  to 
pervert  the  gospel,  and  frustrate  its  blessed  de- 
sign, that  of  superceding  all  those  figurative  ob- 
servations. And  on  this  ground  he  pronounces 
any  one,  even  though  it  were  himself  and  com- 
panions, or  an  an&el  from  heaven,  that  should 
preach  any  other  gospel  than  that  already  preach- 
ed unto  them,  accursed,  v.  18.— The  gospel  that 
Paul  preached,  was  Christ  within,  the  iccrd  nigh 
in  the  heart  and  in  the  month  ;  which  he  expressly 
calls  the  righteousness  which  is  of  faith  ;  and  de- 
clares of  this  inward  word,  "  that  is,  the  word  of 
faith  which  we  preach"  See  Rom.  x.  6,  8. — A 
few  words  before  he  had  declared,  (i  Christ  is 
the  end  of  the  law,  for  righteousness  to  every 
one  that  believeth."  Hence  it  is  evident,  that 
this  inward  word  of  faith,  which  he  preached  as 
nigh  in  the  heait,  &c.  is  that  which  supercedes 
and  ends  the  signs  and  shadows  of  the  law  to 
true  believers. 

The  Israelites  had  a  zeal  for  God,  but  not  ac- 
cording to  knowledege;  for  they  being  ignorant 
of  God's  righteousness  (the  inward  righteousness 
of  faith— Christ,  the  word  in  the  heart)  and 
going  about  to  establish  their  own  righteousness 
(in  the  figurative  observances,  the  letter  and  ce- 
remonies of  the  law,  and  creatuiely  performan- 
ces (have  not  submitted  themselves  unto  the 
■  isbteousness  of  God,"     See  v.  Q,  3.     That 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  155 

means  by  the  righteousness  of  God,  this  inward 
living  word  in  the  heart,  and  by  their  not  su&- 
mitting  to  it,  their  non  subjection  to  the  motions 
and  teachings  of  it,  is  evident  by  the  Qth,  7th 
and  8th  verses.  "  But  the  righteousness  which  is 
of  faith  speaketh  on  this  wise;  say  not  in  thine 
heart,  who  shall  ascend  into  heaven?  (that  is,  to 
bring  Christdown  from  above:)  or  who  shall  de- 
scend into  the  deep?  (that  is,  to  bring  up  Christ 
again  from  the  dead)  but  what  sdith  it?  The 
word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in 
thy  heart;  that  is,  the  word  of  faith  which  we 
preach."  This  will  remain,  through  all  ages,  the 
one  and  only  gospel  of  life  and  salvation.  It  is 
Christ  in  man,  and  ends  the  types  and  shadows, 
Were  it  not  Christ  himself  the  divine  and  holy 
word  in  the  soul,  did  it  not  unite  the  life  of  the 
soul  with  the  life  of  God,  and  bring  into  sunjec- 
tion  to  him,  dependence  upon  him,  and  action 
by  him,  it  would  never  effect  complete  salvation  ; 
for  until  all  this  is  witnessed,  God  becomes  not 
our  "all  in  all."  Though  we  have  known 
Christ  after  the  flesh  (saith  the  Apostle)  yet 
now  henceforth  know  we  him  no  more,"  2  Cor. 
V.  16.—It  was  necessary  he  went  away,  as  to  his 
visible  appearance  in  the  flesh,  that  he  might 
come  again,,  or  more  fully  in  spirit  abide  with 
and  comfort  his  forever.  This  he  promised,  and 
perf  rm*  it  to  every  true  believer,  who  rightly 
looks  for  him  in  spirit,  not  gazing  up  into  hea- 
ven, watching  for  his  outward  coming,  or  seek- 
ing to  know  him  after  the  flesh :  unto  all  who 
thus  inwardly  look  for  him,  he  appears  in  them, 
where  h'mkingdom  is  "  without  sin  to  salvation." 
See  Heb.  ix>  28.     This  final  coming  tojudg- 


156  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

ment  will  be  to  thousands  who  look  7\ot  for  him, 
and  will  not  be  unto  their  salvation,  but  con- 
demnation, to  their  shame  and  everlasting  con- 
fusion ;  but  his  second  coming  is  promised  only 
unto  them  that  look  for  him,  and  is  to  their 
salvation.  And  thus  he  did  come  to  those  he 
said  should  not  taste  of  death  till  they  saw  the 
kingdom ;  for  this  is  truly  the  coming  of  his 
kingdom  on  earth,  to  those  who  rightly  wait  and 
pray  for  it,  and  livingly  experience  it,  which 
many  then  did;  for,  says  the  Apostle,  Col.  i  13, 
"who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  dark- 
ness, and  hath  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of 
his  dear  Son."  Here  Christ  sitteth  on  the  throne 
of  the  heart,  in  his  inward  kingdom  ;  for  Paul 
tells  the  Galatians  that  it  had  pleased  God,  who 
called  him  by  his  grace,  "  to  reveal  his  Son  in 
him*  This  entirely  supercedes  the  occasion  of 
signs,  as  eating,  drinking,  or  the  like,  to  keep 
him  in  remembrance.  This  inwaid  revelation 
and  knowledge  of  the  Son,  'in  man,  the  hope  of 
his  glory,  was  a  mystery  that  had  been  hidden 
from  ages  and  generations. — The  mists  of  dark- 
ness, and  their  resting  in  the  law  of  carnal  com- 
mandments and  ceremonies,  had  hid  and  vailed 
from  their  minds  the  clear  knowledge  of  it:  bu-t 
the  vail  being  done  away  in  Christ  to  the  faints, 
in  that  day,  the  Apostle  declares  this  mystery 
was  "  made  manifest  to"  them  ; — and  goes  on 
to  shew  what  is  the  very  life,  riches  and  glory 
of  it;  saying,  "to  whom  God  would  make 
known  what  is  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  this 
mystery  among  the  Gentiles,  which  is  Christ  in 
you  the  hope  of  glory."  See  Col.  i.  2(5,  27. 
There  never  was  but  one  true  ///b  and  substance 


-       A   GOSPEL   OftDINANCEV  157 

of  religion.—— Hence  though  this  mystery  of 
Christ  within  was  greatly  hid  to  most  men  for 
ages,  yet  was  it  the  very  thing  Moses  referred 
Israel  to  of  old.  Deut.  xxx.  14,  H  the  word  is 
very  nigh  unto  thee,  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy 
heart,  that  thou  mayest  do  it."  Here  Moses 
preached  the  gospel :  and  Paul  affirms  it  was 
preached  to  Abraham,  Gal.  iii.  8.  Indeed  it 
must  be  so;  for  Abraham  saw  Christ's  day,  re- 
joiced in  it,  and  came  in  degree  into  the  life  of 
it,  though  not  to  the  end  of  all  the  signs. — He 
not  only  saw  it,  as  the?i  to  come  in  greater  full- 
ness and  glory  ;  he  knew  it  in  himself;  for  when 
the  Jews  said  to  Christ,  "  thou  art  not  yet  fifty 
years  old,  and  hast  thou  seen  Abraham  ?"  he 
did  not  escape  their  dilemma  by  telling  them, 
Abraham  foresaid  his  day  afar  off.  That  was 
not  the  thing  he  aimed  at  :  but  he  came  directly 
to  the  ever  important  point,  to  the  very  life  of 
the  matter;  "  verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  be- 
fore Abraham  was,  1  am"  John  viii.  57,  58 : 
not  I  was  ;  for,  as  the  holy  word  (the  same  that 
appears  in  the  heart)  he  is  the  eternal  aw.— 
Abraham  knew  and  enjoyed  him  as  such,  as  the 
life  and  substance  of  the  new  covenant,  "  four 
hundred  and  thirty  years"  before  the  giving  of 
the  outward  law.— This  is  the  inward  gospel 
which  Paul  learned  by  the  revelation  of  Jesus 
Christ,  Gal.  i.  12.— by  God's  revealing  his  Son 
in  him :  had  he  not  so  learned  it,  but  only  taken 
it  by  report  from  others,  though  well  authenti- 
cated, lie  might  have  preached  up  Jesus  and  the 
resurrection  in  word,  with  as  much  zeal  as  ever 
he  had  in  the  Jews1  religion,  while  he  was  so 
"  exceedingly  zealous  of  the   traditions  of  his 


158  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

fathers,"  v.  14,  and  yet  never  at  all  have  preach- 
ed the  gospel  of  Christ,  which  ever  is  in  itself 
(and  is  never  preached  but  in)  the  power  of  God 
to  salvation. 

I  mourn  that  the  preachers  of  our  day  so  gene- 
rally lay  hold  of  the  history  of  the  gospel  in  the 
letter,  out  of  the  life  and  power  of  it — zealously 
urging  and  using  elementary  observances,  as  or- 
dinances of  Christ,  to  the  subversion  of  many 
souls  from  a  close  and  single  attention  to  the  in- 
ward word  of  life;  under  which,  for  a  season, 
they  have  been  well  exercised.  Thus  "  the  let- 
ter killeth/'  2  Cor.  iii.  6.  The  literal  preaching 
of  what  is  called  the  gospel,  being  out  of  the 
newness  of  life,  leading  into  and  landing  in  the 
ceremonials  of  religion,  has  slain  its  tens  of  thou- 
sands, even  of  such  as  have  in  degree  begun  in 
the  Spirit,  and  run  well  for  a  season;  but  by 
and  by,  through  the  influence  of  this  lifeless  mi- 
nistry, have  turned  to  and  come  under  the  sha~ 
daws,  and  there  rested  from  the  further  pursuit 
of  their  journey  in  the  Spirit,  which  they  ought 
to  have  fervently  prosecuted  in  the  open  light, 
and  under  the  warmth  and  animating  beams  of 
the  sun.  Paul  knew  the  danger  of  these  things, 
and  considered  the  attempts  of  those  "  false  bre- 
thren'*  to  continue  the  observance  of  outward 
ordinances,  as  directly  tending  to  bring  the  be- 
lievers "  into  bondage,"  Gal.  ii.  4,  and  would 
not  give  place  to  them,  "  by  subjection"  (to  such 
observances)  "  no,  not  for  an  hour,  that  the  truth 
of  the  gospel"  (says  he)  "might  continue  with 
you,"  v.  5.  By  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  he  means 
its  pure  and  genuine  simplicity,  unfettered  with 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  159 

signs  and  ceremonies ;  against  the  retention 
whereof  he  was  so  bold  and  faithful,  that  he 
declares  he  even  withstood  Peter  "  to  the  face," 
at  Antioch,  v.  11,  and  reproved  him  "  before 
them  all,"  for  compelling  "  the  Gentiles  to  live 
as  do  the  Jews,"  14  ;  and  especially,  seeing  he 
himself  had,  "  before  that  certain  came  from 
James,"  eaten  with,  and  lived  "  after  the  man- 
ner of  the  Gentiles." 

And  then  this  great  Apostle  pertinently  incul- 
cates, that  even  the  believing  Jews  themselves 
could  not  be  "justified  by  the  works  of  the  law, 
but  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,"  16.  It  is  evL 
dent  he  means,  by  the  works  of  the  Jaw,  the 
outward  observances  of  it ;  for  he  is  here  ex* 
pressly  labouring  against  the  continuance  of 
these,  as  will  yet  further  appear.  The  3d  chap- 
ter begins  thus,  c'  O  foolish  Galatians,  who  hath 
bewitched  you,  that  ye  should  not  obey  the 
truth?"  The  2d  and  3d  verses  query,  "this 
only  would  I  learn  of  you,  received  ye  the  Spi- 
rit by  the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of 
faith  ?  Are  ye  so  foolish  ?  Having  begun  in  the 
Spirit,  are  ye  now  made  peifect  by  the  flesh  ?" 
All  true  religion,  in  every  age  and  nation,  ever 
began  in  the  Spirit ;  and  all  that  ever  continued 
in  true  religion,  continued  in  the  Spirit  :  and  no 
man  ever  enjoyed  any  more  of  it  than  he  enjoyed 
in  the  Spirit.  None  ever  were,  or  ever  will  be 
"  made  perfect  by  the  flesh ;"  by  any  thing  man, 
as  man,  can  do ;  nor  receive  the  Spirit  by  the 
works  and  observations  of  the  law  ;  though  ma- 
ny are  acting  as  if  they  thought  they  could  not 
be  complete  in  Christ  alone^  or   be  "  made  per- 


160  THS    BAPTISM   07   CHRIST 

feet"  in  and  by  his  holy  Spirit,  without  the  ad- 
dition of  "  weak  and  beggarly  dements."  It 
seems  the  Galatiaus  were  of  the  same  mind.— 
They  began  in  the  Spirit,  but  not  being  content 
to  abide  in  it,  advance  forward  in  it,  and  depend 
singly  upon  it,  they  were  seeking  to  be  "made 
perfect,"  or  completed  in  the  work  of  religion, 
by  ceremonial  observations.  Against  this  de- 
parture from  a  single  reliance  on  that  holy  Spi- 
rit which  began  the  work,  the  Apostle  was  zea- 
lously engaged,  and  declares,  v.  11,  "  the  just 
shall  live  by  faith."  What  faith?  The  righteous- 
ness of  that  inward  word  of  faith,  which  Paul 
preached  "  nigh  in  the  heart  and  mouth."  For 
there  never  was  nor  can  be  but  one  thing,  thro* 
all  time,  that  the  just  could  oi  ever  can  live  by; 
and  that  is  this  inward  word  of  life,  the  spiritual 
flesh  and  blood  of  Christ.  "He  that  eateth  me, 
even  he  shall  live  by  me,"  saith  the  blessed  Jesus, 
John  vi.  57;  and  he  that  eateth  him  not  truly 
and  substantially  (how  oft  soever  he  eats  the 
figures,  and  how  loud  soever  he  proclaims  his 
faith)  has  "  no  life  in  him,"  53.  This  is  the  tree 
of  life,  in  the  "midst  of  the  paradise  of  God." 
This  heals  the  nations  of  them  that  walk  in  the 
light  of  the  Lamb;  and  by  this,  and  this  only, 
they  live  unto  God.  Hence  Paul  says,  "  I  live, 
yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me;  and  the  life 
which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith 
of  the  Son  of  God,"  Gal.  ii.  20;  that  is,  by  the 
faith  of  Christ  living  in  him.  He  was  •«  dead  to 
the  law,  that  he  might  live  unto  God,"  19.  He 
renounces  all  mere  legal,  ceremonial  righteous- 
ness, and  comes  home  to  Christ  alive  in  his 
own  soul.     He  mentions  the  "blessing  of  A  bra- 


_  A    GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  161 

ham''1  as  coming  u  on  the  Gentiles"  only  through 
"Jesus  Christ"  the  life;  and  the  receiving  of 
"the  promise  of  the  Spirit,"  only  "through 
faith,"  chap.  iii.  14.  This  is  experimental  reli- 
gion, all  standing  in  th^X  faith  which  is  "  of  the 
operation  of  God"  in  the  soul,  Col.  ii.  12,  and 
which  is  the  very  life  and  "  substance  of  things 
hoped  for,"  and  therefore,  and  therefore  only, 
it  is  also  the  sure  and  certain  "  evidence  of 
things  not  seen."  See  Heb.  xi.  1.  Many  strive 
hard  to  believe,  and  think  they  do  believe;  but 
no  mere  opinion,  or  simple  credence,  is  the 
faith  of  the  Gospel,  No  other  faith  than  that 
which  is  in  its  own  nature  the  very  "  substance 
of  things  hoped  for,"  can  be  a  sure  and  unshaken 
evidence  of  the  eternal  inheritance,  the  things 
not  yet  seen. 

*  To  Abraham  and  his  seed  were  the  promises 
made.  He  saith  not,  and  to  seeds,  as  of  many  ; 
but  as  of  one,  and  to  thy  seed,  which  is  Christ. 
And  this  I  say,  that  the  convenantthat  was  con- 
firmed before  of  God  in  Christ,  the  law,  which 
was  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  after,  cannot 
disannul,  that  it  should  make  the  promiseof  none 
effect,"  Gal.  iii.  16, 17.  "  And  if  ye  be  Christ's, 
then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according 
to  the  promise,"  29.  Observe,  reader,  the  cove-*' 
nant  is  confirmed  only  in  Christ,  the  life,  the 
uord  in  the  heart,  the  inward  "hope  of  glory." 
The  promise  is  to  all  that  are  Christ's,  and  to 
them  only.  God  promised  that  in  Abraham,  and 
in  his  seed,  Christ,  all  nations  should  be  blessed. 
This  *  promise  is  sure  to  all  the  seed ;"  see  Rom. 
P 


W2  THE    BAPTISM    OF   €1111 1ST 

iv.  16;  to  all  that  are  "  born  again  of  God,"  be- 
gotten into  son-ship  -cmdjoi?it  heir-ship  with  Christ 
by   this  "incorruptible^^/,  and  word  of  God," 
in  the  heart.     This  alone  is  the  true  faith,  where- 
in all  the  children  of  it  "are  blessed  with  faith- 
ful  Abraham,"   Gal.  iii.  9.     It  runs   not  in    the 
outward  blood,  nor  in  the  line  of  faith  merely 
professional.     It  was  never  obtained  by  the  ob- 
servance of  rituals;  nor  is  it  known  but  by  a  real 
baptism  into  death  with  Christ,  and  arising  with 
him  in  the  newness  of  life.     "For  if  there  had 
been  a  law  given,  which  could  have  given  life, 
verily    righteousness   should   have  been  by    the 
law,"  v.  21.     But  as  nothing  can  give  divine  life 
to  the  soul,  but  that  which  brings  it  into  the  life 
of  the  Son,  or  the  state  of  real  son-skip,by  the  union 
of  the  soul  with  the  life  of  the  holy  ivord  ;  and  as 
all  thus  begotten  and  born  of  God,  feel  their  de- 
pendence to  be  wholly  on  God  their  Father;  their 
looking  is  wholly  unto  him  for  aid  and  protect- 
ion.    Hence  this  great  Apostle,  chap.  iv.  v. 6,  of 
this  epistle,  declares,  "  because  ye  are  sons,  God 
hath   sent  forth    the  spirit  of  his  Son  into   your 
hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father/'     Here  is  the  alone 
true  life  of  faith  in  the  soul.     Here  is  divine  re- 
liance upon  the  Father.     It  is  in  the  state  of  real 
sonship,  the  Emanuel  state,  where  God  and  man 
unite  in  the  heavenly  fellowship,  and  substantial 
relationship.     This  is  beyond  all  figurative  ob- 
servations.    ••  The  law  made  nothing   perfect," 
but  "  was  added  because  of  transgressions."— 
But  for  how  long?  *'  till  the  seed  should  come 
to  whom  the  promise  was  made,"  chap.  iii.  19, 
But  if  the  law  was  added,  because  of  transgress- 
ions,  till  the  seed  came,  and  John,  the  forerunner, 


A  GOSPEL    ORDINANCE,  1®3 

to  prepare  his  way,  declares  the  axe  must  be  laid 
to  the  root  of  the  corrupt  trees,  till  they  are  all 
"  hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire'9  and  that 
the  chaff  must  be  burned  up,  and  the  floor 
thoroughly  cleansed;  how  idle  is  it,  for  any  to 
think  of  salvation  by  Christ,  and  that  they  are 
not  under  the  law;  but  under  grace,  because 
they  assent  to  the  history  of  the  gospel,  and  say 
they  believe  in  Jesus,  whilst  living  a  life  of  sin, 
and  continuing  in  transgression,  the  very  thing 
for  which  "  the  law  was  added>"~  and  which  the 
life,  strength  and  authority  of  the  moral  pre- 
cepts of  it  were  and  will  be  over,  and  therefore 
over  men,  so  far  as  in  transgression,  and  sensible 
of  it ;  and  so  far  they  are  and  ever  will  be  under 
the  law,  and  not  under  the  dominion  and  govern- 
ment of  grace.  For  grace  saveth  ;  and  just  so 
far  as  we  are  under  it,  we  are  saved  from  sin,; 
and  so  far  as  we  are  not  saved  from  sin,  we  are 
not  under  grace.  Christ  never  saves  a  soul  in  sin. 
Indeed,  in  the  complete  sense  of  the  word  salva- 
tion, he  cannot.  It  is  a  contradiction  in  itself. 
It  would  be  saved,  and  not  saved.  For  salvation 
is  from  sin.  Therefore  it  is  said,  "  thou  shalt 
call  his  name  Jesus"  (that  is  a  saviour)  '*  for  he 
shall  save  his  people /row  their  sins,"  Mat.  i.  21. 
The  whole  scope  of  the  gospel  is  salvation  from 
sin,  and  a  new  life  in  holiness,  really  and  in- 
herently so;  not  merely  imputatively.  Mere 
imputation  of  Christ's  righteousness,  without  the 
implantation  of  it,  is  a  dangerous  doctrine,  in- 
deed a  real  impossibility.  Christ  redeems  from 
the  shadows  of  the  law,  by  bringing  and  uniting 
the  soul  to  the  substance  ;  and  that  may  be  the 
main  reason  why  so  few  professed  Christians  are 


104  THE  BAPTISM  OB  CHR1S1 

yet  redeemed  from  them;  for  none  are  any  fur- 
ther truly  redeemed,  even  from  the  shadows,  than 
they  are  so  by  the  life  and  possession  of  the  sub" 
stance.  For  as  "  circumcision  is  nothing,"  so 
•simple  "  uncircumcision  is  nothing."  But  the 
living  faith,  the  new  creature,  the  substance,  is 
all  in  all.  Many  think  much  of  themselves,  be- 
cause they  are  baptized  in  water,  partake  of  the 
bread  and  wine,  &c.  And  many  think  much  of 
themselves  because  they  avoid  them,  and  sup- 
pose they  see  beyond  them,  But  if  even  the 
latter  is  only  a  speculative  or  merely  rational 
convincement,  it  is  nothing:  it  is  not  the  true 
and  living  redemption  of  Christ  "  from  the  rudi- 
ments of  the  world;"  for  that  never  advances 
further  or  faster  in  any  soul,  than  the  soul  ad- 
vances in  the  knowledge  and  enjoyment  of  the 
substance.  It  is  Christ  himself,  the  seed,  the  life, 
the  substance,  that  is  the  end  of  the  law.  And 
so,  as  none  are  truly  redeemed  from  the  shadows 
of  it,  but  by  and  in  the  substance;  so  none  are 
redeemed  from  the  curse  of  it,  the  penalty  due 
lor  the  trayisgression  of  its  moral  precepts,  until, 
nor  a  whit further  than,  they  know  Christ,  the 
seed,  the  substance,  to  finish  sin,  and  make  an 
end  of  transgression  in  them  individually.  For 
this  is  the  only  real  destruction  of  the  works  of 
the  devil,  that  Christ  ever  makes  ;  and  conse- 
quently, all  the  redemption  from  the  curse,  or 
penalty  of  the  law,  that  men  ever  really  do  know 
—save  the  forgiveness  and  remission  of  sins  al- 
ready committed,  through  the  mercy  if  God  in 
Christ  Jesus.  So  far,  therefore,  as  we  sin  against 
God,  we  are  not  under  grace,  but  a*  best  under 
the  laic.     Nor  shall  ever  "  one  jot,  or  one  tittle, 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  16o 

pass  from  the  law,  till  all  be  fulfilled.'*  If  any  soul 
is  not  under  the  curseof  it,  but  under  grace,  it  is 
because  Christ,  the  seed,  redeems  and  preserves 
him  from  the  state  of  transgression,  on  account 
of  which  it  was  added.     And  yet  salvation  is  in 
no  wise  by  the  deeds  of  the  law,  but  by  Christ, 
who  redeems,   and  liveth  in  us,  and  is  our  life, 
above  and  beyond  the  law.     "  Is  the  law,  then, 
against  the  promises  oi  God  ?  God  forbid,"  says  the 
Apostle,  Gal.  iii.  21.  "  But  before  faith  came,  we 
were  kept  under  the  law,  shut  up  unto  the  faith 
which  should  afterwards  be  revealed"  23.     Be- 
fore the  word  of  faith  is  revealed  in  the  heart,  be- 
fore the  Son  of  God  is  revealed  in  men,  as  God 
revealed  him  in  Paul,  the  law  serves  as  &school~ 
master;  hence  the    Apostle's  very  next  words, 
verse  24,  are,  "  wherefore  the  law  was  ourschooi- 
master,   to  bring  us  unto  Christy  that  we  might 
be  justified  by  faith."    Faith  being  the  substance, 
as  before  shewn,  "  of  things  hoped  for  ;"  and  be- 
ing "  of  the  operation  of  God"  in  man,  the  word 
nigh  in  the  heart,    which    is  the   word  of  faith 
the  Apostles  preached;   when   this  was  livingly 
known,  in  dominion  over  all  in  the  soul,  the  use 
of  the  school-master  was  superceded  :  and  this  is 
the   substantial  experience  of  such  as  are  risen 
with   Christ,  above  the  rudiments  of  the  world, 
and  the  law  of  carnal  commandments,  in  every 
age  of  the  world.     So  the  Apostle's  next  words 
are,  v.  2pt  &c.  "  but  after  th^i  faith  is  come,  we 
are   no  longer    under  a  school-master.     For  ye 
are  ail  the    ch  Idren  of  God,    by  faith  in  Christ 
Jesus.     For  as  many  of  you  as  have  been   bap- 
tized into  Christ,  have  put  on  Christ."     Here  the 
law  is  fulfilled,  in  putting  "on  the  Lord  Jesus 
P  2 


166  THE    BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST 

Christ,"-—1'  the  whole  armour  of  light;"  casting 
"  off  the  works  of  darkness,''  and  making  u  no 
provision  for  the  flesh,  to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof,'* 
according  to  Rom.  xiii.  12,  14.  Well  may  this 
supercede  the  law,  seeing  this  baptism  into  Christ, 
this  putting  him  on,  as  the  whole  armour  of  light, 
so  effectually  redeems  from  the  works  of  dark- 
ness, and  the  lusts  oj  :he  flesh;  agreeably  also  to 
Eph.  vi,  11,  "  put  on  the  whole  armour  of  God, 
that  ye  may  be  able  to  staqd  against  the  wiles  of 
the  devil." 

Some  will  understand  this  baptism  into  Christ, 
to  mean  outward  baptism.  The  author  of  the 
aforesaid  "  plain  account"  quotes  Bishop  Bur- 
nett, describing  I  he  primitive  baptism  in  water, 
and  saying,  "frora  whence  came  the  phrases  of 
being  baptized  into  Christ's  death;  of  being  bu- 
ried with  him  by  baptism  into  death  ;  of  our  being 
risen  with  Christ ;  and  of  our  putting  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ:  of  putting  off'  the  old  ntan, 
and  putting  on  the  new  ?"  page  30.  Thus  n,tn 
by  attachment  to  rituals,  are  liable  to  have  their 
minds  vailed,  from  beholding  the  obviously  in- 
ward  and  spiritual  meaning  of  scripture,  or  at 
least  turned  to  seek  or  suppose  an  outward  sig- 
nification, where  none  seems  necessary  or  in- 
tended, but  that  which  centers  in  the  life  and 
substance.  Baptism  into  Christ,  is  into  the 
name,  the  power  and  influence  of  the  Divinity, 
according  to  the  commission.  It  is  not  true, 
that  ail  who  are  baptized  in  water,  "  have  put 
on  Christ;"  but  only  such  as  are  actually  bapti- 
zed into  Christ  himself,  the  divine  eternal  sub- 
stance; and  therefore  the  Apostle  limits  it  to 
rddi  only,    by  the   words,    "as  many  of  us." 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  167 

Those  who  hold  water  baptism  an  essential,  or 
as  that  which  saves,  or  as  the  "  one  baptism,"  I 
suppose,  hold  that  all  the  believers  received  it: 
but  Paul  speaks  here  of  only  as  many  as  were 
absolutely  baptized  into  Christy  not  into  water, 
verbally  in  his  name,  but  into  him,  so  as  to  put 
him  on,  by  putting  on  his  nature,  life  and  dis- 
position ;  love,  meekness,  temperance,  and  all 
those  virtues  predominant  in  such  in  whom  he 
lives  and  reigns,  and  against  whom  there  is 
therefore  no  law  :  for  it  is  by  thus  putting  on 
Christ,  and  living  in  him,  and  he  in  us,  our  life, 
and  hope  of  glory,  in  that  wherein  there  is  no 
transgression,  that  we  are  redeemed  from  the 
bondage,  penalty  and  rudiments  of  the  law,  into 
"  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God."  This 
is  the  one  gospel  baptism.  It  is  strictly  into 
Christ,  into  the  name,  the  saving  name  of  the 
Lord,  the  strong  tower  of  salvation  and  safety, 
the  name  that  is  as  ointment  poured  forth;  the 
saving  healing  influences  whereof  make  all  the 
sincere  virgins  love  him.  The  same  baptism, 
with  the  same  word  into,  several  times  repeated, 
the  Apostle  a^ain  mentions  Rom.  vi.  3,  4.  "  So 
many  of  us,"  and  he  might  have  said  only  so 
many,  and  doubtless  meant  so,  "  as  were  bapti- 
zed into  Jesus  Christ,  were  baptized  into  his 
death."  Therefore  we  are  buried  with  him  by  bap- 
tism into  death."  Now  see  the  fruits  of  it,  which 
cannot  result  from  baptism  into  water;  "  that  like 
as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead,  by  the 
glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk 
in  newness  of  life  ;"  and,  verse  5,  **  for  if  we 
have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his 
death"  (that  is,  into  a  real  death  to  all  sin,  for 
his  baptism  thoroughly  cleanses  the  floor  of  tbe 


1(38  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

heart)  "  we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  his  re- 
surrection" This  is  what  the  Apostle  means  by 
walking  in  newness  of  life ;  as  is  plain  by  the 
connexion,  "  for  if,"  &c.  Can  any  thing  be 
plainer,  than  that  this  is  all  an  inward  and  spi- 
ritual work;  an  actual  baptism  into  real  death 
unto  sin,  and  arising  into  life  with  Christ  (who 
then  iivetfi  in  us)  in  his  inward  resurrection  and 
glory  in  the  soul?  And  hence  the  baptisui 
that  now  saves  us,  not  the  putting  away  the  filth 
of  the  outward  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good 
conscience  towards  God,  is  rightly,  and  ever 
with  divine  propriety,  said  to  be  ••  by  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ.0  And  now,  to  evince 
that  this  is  all  inward,  and  that  this  of  being 
"  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death," 
in  baptism,  is  not  being  dipped  into  water ,  but 
into  a  real  death  to  sin  ;  let  us  observe  well,  that 
the  Apostle  declares  positively,  without  any  ex- 
ception, that  if  we  have  been  so  planted  "  into 
the  likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  he  also  in  the 
likeness  of  his  resurrection,"  which  certainly  is 
not  true  of  all  that  are  baptized  in  water,  though 
they  may  call  that  "  the  likeness  of  his  d  ath." 
For  many  have  been  so  baptized,  who  have  had 
no  experience  of  this  likeness  of  his  resurrection, 
this  walking  in  newness  of  life.  Simon  the  sor- 
cerer both  believed  (see  how  little  a  mere  lifeless 
believing  amounts  to)  and  was  so  baptized;  and 
yet  he  was  in  the  pall  of  bitterness  and  bond  of 
iniquity;  having  neither  part  nor  lot  in  the  true 
Christian  baptism,  Ads  viii.  13,  21,  ^3:  which 
shews  plainly,  that  our  blessed  Saviour's  words 
in  the  commission,  IVlaik  xvi.  lo,  "  he  that  be- 
lieveth   and   is  baptized  shall  be  saved,"  relate 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  160 

wholly  to  that  faith  which  is  the  substance  of 
things  hoped  for,  and  to  that  baptism  which  is 
truly  into  the  likeness  of  Christ'sdeathjintodeath 
unto  sin,  and  a  new  life  unto  holiness,  by  the  re- 
surrection and  the  life  of  Christ  in  us,  the  hope  of 
glory.  And  as  this  in  Mark,  is  the  same  com- 
mission with  that  in  Matthew,  it  further  con- 
firms that  the  baptism  mentioned  in  both  is  that 
which  is  saving,  and  could  not  be  that  o\  water; 
since  the  promise  is  to  him  that  belicveth,  and  is 
baptized  with  it,  that  he  '•  shall  be  saved."  This 
promise  is  sure,  for  this  baptism  is  into  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  ihe  strong  tower,  in  which  the  right- 
eous abiding,  ever  find  safely,  defence  and  pre- 
servation: while  a  bare  dipping  in  water,  pro- 
fessional ly  in  the  name,  preserves  none  from  evil. 

But  further,  that  Paul  meant  as  above  ex- 
plained, by  this  planting,  death,  burial  and  re- 
surrection, his  very  next  words  declare,  v.  6\ 
"  knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is  crucified 
with  him,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroy- 
ed, that  henceforth  we  should  not  serve  sin."— 
This  is  the  death  produced  by  the  fiery  baptism 
of  Jesus,  the  crucifixion  of  our  old  corrupt  man, 
the  destruction  of  the  body  of  sin  m  u*.  And 
is  it  not  strange,  ihat  any  real  Christian  should 
not  understand  i his,  seeing  it  is  the  very  thing 
which  John  the  Baptist  (in  direct  contradistinc- 
tion to  the  baptism  of  water  J  declares  of  Christ's, 
by  the  mention  of  the  axe,  fan,  and  fire,  and 
the  work  effected  by  them,  amounting  to  abso- 
lute purification  ?  May  these  things  be  well  laid 
to  heart,  by  all  who  hope  to  be  saved  by  a  sim- 
ple though  hearty  and  sincere  belief  of  facts,  and 


170  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

immersion  in  outward  water;  for  this  is  not  the 
faith  and  the  baptism  to  which  the  promise  of 
salvation  holds  good  forever.  And  for  any  to 
use  water  as  gospel  baptism,  and  not  consider  it 
saving,  is  to  run  counter  to  the  design  and  ex- 
press declaration  of  scripture  in  regard  to  the 
baptism  of  Jesus. 

The  fourth  chapter  to  the  Galatians  begins 
asserting,  "  that  the  heir,  as  long  as  he  is  a 
child,  differeth  nothing  from  a  servant,  though 
he  be  lord  of  all ;  but  is  under  tutois  and  gover- 
nors until  the  time  appointed  of  the  father.— 
Even  so  we,  when  we  were  children,  were  in 
bondage  under  the  elements  of  the  world,"  v.  1, 
2,  3.  Here  we  see  the  Son  himself  submitted  to 
the  elements,  the  s;gns  and  ceremonials ,  unto 
which  also  the  children  were  in  bondage  for  a 
season;  and  to  prevent  their  continuance  under 
which,  the  Apostle  was  now  zealously  endea- 
vouring, having  seen  clearly  beyond  them  him- 
self, and  been  a  living  witness  of  their  abolition. 
By  the  nexr  verses,  it  is  clear,  that  Christ's  sub- 
mitting to  these  elementary  things,  and  being 
made  under  the  law,  was  so  tar  from  perpetuat- 
ing outward,  elementary  baptism,  or  any  other 
rituals,  that  it  was  purposely  f*  to  redeem  them 
that  were  under  the  law."  Why  then  should 
we,  who  never  were  under  that  law  of  carnal 
ordinances,  nor  yet  under  the  dispensation  of 
John's  baptism  (which  was  for  Christ's  manifest- 
ation to  Israel)  unless  by  our  own  voluntary  act, 
desire  to  come  into  bondage  to  these  things, 
called  here  by  Paul  "  the  elements  of  the  world  ?" 
Those  outward  things  were  abundantly  proved 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  171 

weak  and   insufficient,  or  the  law  under  which 
they  were  enforced,    had   remained   to  enforce 
them  still.     All  figurative  immersions,   sprink- 
lings, eatings  and  drinkings,  are  altogether  as  " 
weak,  insufficient  and   unavailing,  now,  as  ever 
they   were;    and   it   is  an  evidence   of  human 
weakness  to  continue  in,  and  desire  to  be  in  bon- 
dage to  them ;  as  much  so,  as  was  the  attach- 
ment of  the  Galatians  to  circumcision,  &c.  Paul, 
thoroughly   convinced  of  this   weakness   of  all 
mere   signs  and  symbolical  observations,  there- 
fore pertinently,  and  as  it  were  with  amazement, 
•queries,  v.  9.  "how  turn  ye  again  to  the  weak 
and    beggarly   elements,    whereunto   ye    desire 
again  to  be  in  bondage?"  10,  "  Ye  observe  days, 
and  months,  and  times,  and  years."  11,  "  I  am 
afraid  of  you,  lest  I   have  bestowed  upon  you 
labour  in  vain."    And  how  many  days  and  times 
are  now  appointed,  and    rigidly  observed,  even 
in  our  days?    Set  times   and  seasons,  in    man's 
will  and  wisdom,  for  fasting,  prayers,  thanks- 
givings, eating  bread,   and  drinking   wine,  &c. 
And   how  much  further  a  punctual  conformity 
and   observance  in  these  things,  often   goes  to- 
wards conciliating  the  favour  of  men,  and   even 
of  princes,  than  purity  of  life,  integrity7  of  con- 
duct, and  humanity  towards  all   ranks  of  man- 
kind, deserves  serious  consideration.     And  is  it 
at   all  strange,  that  Paul,  observing  how  great 
weight  these  weak  things  were  obtaining,  even 
among  such  as  had  really  "  known  God,"  v.  9. 
(and  who  therefore  had  received  that  which  was 
all-sufficient   in   itself,    if   lived  in,  and   relied 
singly  on,  for  salvation,  and  eternal  life,  without 
any  elementary  observations  whatever)  was  really 


172  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

alarmed,  and  afraid  lest  bis  labours  to  establish 
them  in  the  purity  and  truth  of  the  gospel  should 
prove  in  vain  ?  especially  when  those  who  had 
lately  almost  adored  him,  were  so  soon  and  so 
far  infected  with  this  zeal  for  ceremonials,  as  to 
give  grounds  for  his  query,  v.  16,  "  am  I  be- 
come your  enemy,  because  I  tell  you  the  truth?" 
Is  it  strange,  that  he  calls  the  retrogade  motion 
of  such  as  had  "known  God"  for  themselves, 
from  that  inward  knowledge  to  outward  rites, 
turning  "  again  to  the  weak  and  beggarly  ele- 
ments f  In  the  next  verse,  17,  speaking  of 
those  who  strove  to  bring  them  into  this  bon- 
dage to  the  elements,  he  says,  "  they  zealously 
affect  you,  but  not  well;  yea,  they  would  e.r- 
clude  you,  that  ye  might  ail'ect  them."  They 
were  y^fy  zealous  in  their  attempts  to  embondage 
them  to  the  elements,  as  too  many  now  are;  but 
tliis  zeal  was  not  well,  but  very  ill ;  for  they 
went  so  far,  it  seems,  as  to  attempt  or  desire  to 
exclude  such  as  were  backward  to  conform,  and 
come  into  this  bondage,  that  by  this  exclusion 
they  might  be  driven  or  prevailed  on  to  affect 
them,  or  their  doctrines  and  notions.  This  their 
zeal  and  labour  was  quite  different  from  PauVs. 
He  was  for  the  life;     they,  the  letter.     He  for 

the  vbstance  ;  they,  the  symbols.     Do  but  hear 

him,  v.  19,  "  my  little  children,  of  whom  I  tra* 
vail  in  birth  again,  until  Christ  be  formed  in 
you."  He  knew  the  "  letter  killeth,"  and  that 
zeal  in  the  sign  often  obstructs  the  growth  and 
formation  of  Chrirt,  the  substance,   in   the  soul  : 

so  he  travails  as  it  were  in  birth  again  for  then- 
advancement  and   perfection  in   the   latter.     It 

would    seem,  by   their  being  truly   his  "  little 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  173 

children,"  and  by   his  noiv  travailing  in   birth 
again,  that   is,  for   the   more  complete  growth 
and  full  formation  of  Christ  in  them,  that  they 
had  been   already  in  degree  truly   begotten  and 
born  of  God  :  and  that  the  Apostle,  in  the  la- 
bour he   had   before  bestowed  upon   them,  had 
already  once  travailed,  as  in  birth  for  and  with 
them;  but  that  they,  instead  of  rightly  advan- 
cing in  the   travail,  growth  and  full  formation 
of  Christ  in  themselves,  unto  the  state  of  perfect 
men  in  him,  "  to  the  measure  of  the  stature  of 
the  fulness  of  Christ;"  had  been  obstructed  and 
diverted  therefrom,  by  turning  to  the  weak  and 
beggarly  elements;"  and  that  therefore  such  was 
the  Apostle's   good   will  to  them,  he  was  now 
again  engaged  in  travail  for  their  attainment  of 
what  was  lacking  in  them  ;  the  com  plet  e^/brma- 
tion  and  growth  of  Christ,  whose  growth  and  in- 
crease of  stature  in  man  is  gradual  and  progres- 
sive ;  as  was    the  case   in   that  prepared   body, 
wherein  he   grew,  and  "  increased   in  wisdom 
and  stature,  and  in  favour  with  God  and  man," 
Luke  ii.  52.  And,  to  win  them  wholly  to  Christ, 
and   wean   them   from  beggarly  elements,  Paul 
reasons  with  them  in  the  following  verses,  from 
Abraham's   two   sons,  "  the  one  by  a  bond-maid 
(representing  this  elementary  bondage)  the  other 
by  a   free   woman,  Gal.  iv.  22  :  the   first  "  was 
born   after   the  flesh,"    the   last  u  by  promise,'* 
23  :  "  which  things''  (saith  he)  "are  an  allegory  ; 
for  these  are  the  two  covenants;  the  one  from 
the  Mount  Sinai,  which  gendereth  to  bondage, 
which  is  Agar,"  24,     "For  this  Agar  is  Mount 
Sinai,  in  Arabia,  and  answereth  to  Jerusalem, 
Q 


174  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHfllS? 

which  now  is,  and  is  in  bondage  with  her  chit* 
dren,"  25.  "  But  Jerusalem,  which  is  above, 
is  free,  which  is  the  mother  of  us  all,"  26.  And 
the  few  following  verses  declare  believers  to  be, 
with  Isaac,  "children  of  the  promise;"  that  the 
children  of  the  flesh  persecute  these  as  Ishmaei 
did  Isaac;  that  the  son  of  the  bond-woman  was 
cast  out,  "  for  the  son  of  the  bond-woman  shall 
not  be  heir  with  the  son  of  the  free."  And  im- 
mediately upon  these  words  the  chapter  con- 
cludes, "  so  then,  brethren,  we  are  not  children 
of  the  bond-woman,  but  of  the  free."  And  the 
next  very  pertinently  begins,  •'  stand  fast,  there- 
fore in  tire  liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath  made 
us  free;  and  be  not  entangled  again  with  the 
yoke  of  bondage."  Then  instancing  one  parti- 
cular rite,  he  declares,  "  if  ye  be  circumcised, 
Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing ;"  that  such  as  are 
so,  are  debtors  to  do  the  whole  taw;  that  Christ 
is  become  of  no  effect  to  those  who  seek  to  be 
"justified  by  the  law;*'  and  positively  asserts 
of  them,  "  ye  are  fallen  from  grace." 

Little  do  the  zealous  advocates  for  outward 
ordinances  think  how  their  attachment  thereto 
hinders  their  rea/justifitation,  by  the  true  and 
Jiving  faith  and  grace  of  the  gospel,  even  amidst 
all  their  talk  of  justification,  by  faith  in  Christ 
alone.  Perhaps  they  never  consider  that  these 
foolish  Caktiam,  with  all  their  desires  of  bon- 
dage to  the  beggarly  elements,  might  he  as  loud 
in  profession  of  faith  in  Christ,  and  in  their 
claim  to  justification  by  his  blood,  as  any  note 
are.  I  desire  to  know  (if  it  is  so)  why  it  is  more 
impossible  for  a  mart  circumcised  to  be  profited 


-    A    liOSFEL    ORDINANCE.  H& 

by  Christ,  or  why  ha  is  any  more  fallen  from 
grace,  than  a  man  baptized  in  water-  I  cannot 
perceive  that  either  circumcision  or  baptism 
prevents  profit  by  Christ,  any  further  than  the 
mind  is  thereby  turned  from  him,  and  from  a 
single  reliance  upon  the  work  of  his  grace  in  the 
heart  for  salvation;  nor  that  either  the  one  of 
the  olber,  or  any  oth^r  outward  performance, 
will  ever  fail  to  prevent  it,  so  far  as  the  mind  is 
thereby  turned  away  from  an  inward  attention 
unto  and  firm  dependence  upon  him  who  re- 
mains to  be  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  in  all 
true  believers,  the  word  nigh  in  the  heart  and 
mouth,  for  counsel,  direction  and  salvation.  In  so 
far  as  any  ceremonial  diverts  the  mind  of  one  that 
has  truly  "  known  God"  in  himself,  from  atten- 
tion to  his  inward  appearance  and  work  in  the 
heart,  such  an  one  is  so  far  "fallen  from  grace" 
and  no  further,  than  he  is  so  diverted.  And  I 
can  see  nothing  in  circumcision  a  whit  more  like- 
ly so  to  divert  him,  than  in  water  baptism.  One, 
as  far  as  I  can  conceive,  is  just  as  likely  to  keep 
him  from  Christ,  as  the  other.  This  may  seem 
strange  to  many.  But  I  think  they  can  give  no 
sound  reason  why  one  should  be  so  hurtful,  and 
the  other  so  harmless,  as  they  may  imagine.— 
Distinctions,  however  ill  founded,  when  long 
settled  in  idea,  seem  real;  but  examined  to  the 
bottom,  are  found  to  have  no  existence  but  in 
speculation.  And  believing  many  distinctions 
of  long  standing  among  Christian  professors  are 
of  this  kind,  I  think  I  can  truly  say,  I  travail  in 
spirit*  if  not  in  birth,  for  them,  that  they  may 
dig  deep  for  the  foundation,  and  build  on  the 
sure  rock  of  ages.    Then  their  buildings  wilt 


110  -the  LArrisM  or  crinjii? 

not  fall,  but  stand  all  winds  and  weathers.  It 
is  much  better  patiently,  with  Paul  (v.  5.j— 
"  through  the  Spirit  to  wait  for  the  hope  of 
righteousness  by  faith,"  than  hastily  to  rush  into 
bondage,  v.  7-  "  Ye  did  run  well;  who  did 
hinder  you,  that  ye  should  not  obey  the  truth  >". 
&.  "  This  persuasion  cometh  not  of  him  that 
calleth  you/'  9.  "A  little  leaven  leaveneth  the 
whole  lump."  This  I  firmly  believe  is  just  the 
case  with  many,  whom  the  Lord  in  these  days 
calls,  by  his  holy  Spirit  working  in  them.  They 
give  up  to  the  call  ;  begin  like  the  Galatians,  in 
the  Spirit;  run  well  for  a  season.  By  and  by, 
in  steps  the  adversary. of  souls,  or,  by  the  art 
and  address  of  some  high  in  esteem  with  them, 
*bey  are  absolutely  hindered  from  obeying  the 
truth,  in  keeping  singly  to  the  Spirit  they  began 
in\  and  by  a  persuasion  that  cometh  not  from 
him  that  called  and  still  calleth  them  to  perse- 
vere on  m  the  Spirit,  they  are  diverted  to  the 
elements,  take  up  a  false  rest  in  the  shadows, 
and  gradually,  perhaps  almost  imperceptibly  to 
themselves,  depart  from  Christ,  the  inward  life; 
and  fall  away  iroin  the  lively  influences  of  grace 
in  their  own  souls,  till  the  whole  lump  is  leaven- 
ed, with  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  ;  a  fruitless, 
lifeless  zeal  m  rituals,  a  round  of  creaturely  de- 
votions and  performances;  drawing  near  the 
Lord  with  the  mouth,  and  seeming  to  honour 
him  with  the  lip,  while  the  heart  is  far  from 
him.  In  order  to  prevent  which,  I  think  Paul's 
direction,  v.  25,  very  pertinent  and  proper;  "if 
we  live  in  the  Spirit,  let  us  also  walk  in  the 
Spirit.  And  so  walking,  I  am  persuaded  life- 
less forms   will   be  forsaken,  beggarly  elements 


A   GOSPLL    ORDINANCE.  177 

abandoned,  old  things  done  away,  all  things  be- 
come new,  all  things  of  God,  in  spirit  and  in 
truth,  in  the  newness  of  divine  life;  for  I  can 
never  believe,  that  the  Spirit  not  only  lived  in, 
(as  to  what  passeth  in  the  secret  of  the  sou!)  but 
also  diligently  and  strictly  walked  in  (as  to  all 
our  outward  religious  or  devotional  exercises) 
will  fail  to  lead  out  of,  or  preserve  from,  every 
undue  attachment  to  signs  and  ceremonials,  or 
any  thing  that  genders  to  bondage. 

Now,  notwithstanding  the  length  of  these 
quotations  from  the  epistle  to  the  endangered 
Galatians,  and  of  the  foregoing  remarks,  I  am 
not  easy  to  omit  several  parages  to  the  Colos- 
sians ;  the  epistle  to  them  also  being  pointedly 
against  subjection  to  ordinance*. 

Paul  was  fervent  in  spiiit,\n  prayers  and  desires 
for  them,  that  they  might  be  {i  fruitful  in  every 
good  work;"  increasing  in  the  knowledge  of 
God,  and  "  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  his 
will,  hi  all  wisdom,  and  spiritual  understanding," 
chap.  i.  9,  10:  but  was  so  far  from  pointing  out 
water  baptism,  or  any  other  mere  ceremonial, 
as  promotive  of  this  happy  experience,  as  per- 
taining to  fruitfulness  in  every  good  work,  or  as 
being  included  in  the  word  every  in  this  sen- 
tence, or  at  all  belonging  to  those  purely  spiritu- 
al things,  wherein  he  wished  them  an  increased 
understanding :  that  he  plainly  points  out  the 
fulness  and  sufficiency  of  Christ,  without  them  ; 
and  warns  the  Colossians  of  i heir  danger  oi  being 
beguiled  with  enticing  words  from  the  simplici- 
ty of  the  gospel.  In  leading  on,  and  preparing 
Q  3 


i78  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

their  minds  for  a  single  dependence  on  Christ 
alone,  the  living  substance,  and  for  the  rejection 
of  all  that  is  not  Christ,  not  in  nor  of  his  life  in 
religion,  he  tells  them  it  is  he,  v.  14,  "  in  whom 
we  have  redemption :"  that  he  is,  v.  15,  "the 
image  of  the  invisible  God  ;"  yea,  "  the  first  bom 
of  every  creature."  16,  That  "  by  him  were  all 
things  created  that  are  in  heaven,  and  that  are  in 
earth,  visible  and  invisible.''  17,  "  And  he  is  be- 
fore all  things,  and  by  him  all  things  consist." 
IS,  That  "he  is  the  head  of  the  body,  the 
church,"  that  he  is  "  the  beginning,  the  first 
born  from  the  dead  ;  that  in  ail  things  he  might 
have  the  pre-eminence."  And,  19,  that  "  it 
pleased  the  Father,  that  in  him  should  all  fulness 
dwell,"  This  was  a  good  foundation  ;  for  having 
him  actually  living  in  us,  in  whom  all  fulness 
dwells,  and  he  being  truly  our  life,  we  need  no 
addition  of  ceremonials.  Therefore  the  Apostle, 
drawing  on,  v.  23,  towards  the  substance,  which 
he  wishes  them  to  continue  "  grounded  and  set- 
tied"  in  the/a/f/iof,  not  being  "  moved  from  the 
hope  of  the  gospel,"  he  comes,  26,  27,  28,  to  the 
very  thing  itself  j  "  the  mystery  which  hath  been 
held  from  ages  and  from  generations,  but  now  is 
made  manifest  to  his  saints.  To  whom  God 
would  make  known  what  is  the  riches  of  the 
zlory  of  this  mystery  among  the  Gentiles ;"  which 
he  expressly  says  (as  before  noted)  "  is  Christ  in 
you,  the  hope  of  glory  ;  whom  we  preach,  warn- 
:ng  every  man,"  &c. 

Observe,  reader,  we  before  saw  that  "  the 
word  of  faith,  which  the  Apostles  preached," 
was  the  '*  word  nigh  in  the  mouth,   and  in  th$ 


A   GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  179 

heart,"  as  Paul  plainly  testifies,  Rom.  x.8.  And 
here,  in  full  confirmation  of  the  same  great  truth, 
the  same  gospel  of  salvation,  we  find  the  same 
Apostle  declares  the  Christ,  the  gospel,  yea,  the 
very  "  riches  of  the  glory  of  this  mystery."  of  life 
and  salvation,  "among  the  Gentiles,"  which  they 
the  Apostles  preached,  "  is  Christ  in  you  the 
hope  of  glory."  This  is  that  "  hope  of  the  gos- 
pel," which  a  few  verses  before  he  wished  they 
might  not  be  "  moved  away  from."  And  to 
keep  them  to  this,  and  from  ritual  observances, 
his  labour  was  fervent  among  them,  "  striving 
according'*  to  the  working  of  Christ  in  him, 
"  which"  (saith  he,  v.  29)  "  worketh  in  me  migh- 
tily." And  this  his  fervent  labour  and  striving 
with  them,  preaching  "  Christ  in  them"  as  the 
substantial  hope  of  glory,  "  warning  every  man, 
and  teaching  every  man,  in  all  wisdom,"  was  ex- 
pressly in  order,  28,  to  "  present  every  man  per- 
fect in  Christ  Jesus;"  where  all  perfection  in  the 
divine  life  centres;  where  God  and  man  are  re- 
conciled in  the  heavenly  union  ;  where  "he  that 
is  joined  to  the  Lord  is  one  spirit ;"  and  signs 
are  superceded.  This  was  Paul's  aim,  his  scope 
and  exercise,  in  this  epistle.  In  the  beginning 
of  the  next  chapter,  he  manifests  great  care  or 
conflict  for  them,  that  "  their  hearts  might  be 
comforted,  being  knit  together  in  love,  and  unto 
all  riches  of  the  full  assurance  of  understanding, 
to  the  acknowledgment  of  the  mystery,"  (he 
had  spoken  of)  "  of  God,  und  of  the  Father,  and 
of  Christ;  in  whom  (says  he)  "are  hid  all  the 
treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge."  Thus  he 
lays,  or  proposes,  a  sure  foundation,  on  the  all- 
sufficiency   whereon   both  he   and   they  might 


ISO  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

safely  depend  ;  and  that  without  aid  or  addition 
from  things  which  may  and  must  be  shaken,  in 
order  that  that  alone  which  cannot  be  shaken 
may  remain.  For  this  dlone  is  to  remain  in  the 
fulness  of  the  gospel  state  ;  and  surely  no  cere- 
monials are  things  which  cannot  be  shaken.— 
That  this  was  Paul's  aim,  in  the  foregoing  ex- 
pressions, I  think  we  have  his  own  authority  to 
declare;  for  his  next  words  are,  v.  4,  "and  this  I 
say,  lest  any  man  should  beguile  you  with  en- 
ticing words."  And  v.  6,  he  exhorts, ■"  as  ye 
have  received  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  so  walk  in 
him."  7,  "  Rooted  and  built  up  in  him,  and  stab^ 
lished  in  the  faith,  as  ye  have  been  taught, 
abounding  therein  with  thanksgiving."  And 
then  comes  on  pointedly  to  warn  them,  and  shew 
them  the  danger  of  trusting  or  being  drawn  away 
to  any  thing  else  but  the  riches,  glory  and  suf- 
ficiency of  the  great  mystery,  wherein  was  all 
fulness  for  salvation  :  w  beware"  (says  he,  v.  8) 
"  lest  any  man  spoil  you  through  philosophy 
and  vain  deceit,  after  the  tradition  of  men,  after 
the  rudiments  (in  the  margin,  elements  J  of  the 
world,  and  not  after  Christ."  Oh!  the  mischief 
•  >f  human  philosophy,  carnal  reasonings,  vain  de- 
ceit, and  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  in  the  things 
of  religion.  It  builds  tabernacles  for  abolished 
ordinances,  and  leads  thousands  from  Christ  to 
the  rudiments  of  t he  w^orld  ;  thereby  spoiling 
them,  as  to  the  increase  of  knowledge  and  stabi- 
lity in  Christ,  who  is  all-sufficient  for  and  in  his 
people;  as  the  next,  words  emphatically  declare, 
v.p,  10,  "for  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of 
;he  Godhead  bodily.  And  ye  are  complete  in 
him,  which  is  the  head  of  all  principality  and 


-      A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  281 

power/*  The  next  verses  shew,  that  neither 
circumcision  nor  outward  baptism  is  at  all  neces- 
sary ;  so  entirely  complete  are  we  in  Christ,  the 
inward  and  everlasting  fulness  and  divine  suf- 
ficiency. Do  but  read  them.  '*  In  whom  also 
ye  are  circumcised,  with  the  circumcision  made 
without  hands,  in  putting  off  the  body  of  the  sins 
of  the  flesh,  by  the  circumcision  of  Christ ;  buried 
with  him  in  baptism,  wherein  also  ye  are  risen 
with  him,  through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of 
God,  who  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead.  And 
you  being  dead  in  your  sins,  and  the  uncircum- 
cision  of  your  flesh,  hath  he  quickened,  together 
with  him  ;  having  forgiven  you  all  trespasses, 
blotting  out  the  hand-writing  of  ordinances  that 
was  against  us,  which  was  contrary  to  us,  and 
took  it  out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to  his  cross." 
What  could  Christ  have  done,  or  Paul  have  said, 
more  fully  to  have  shewn  the  abolition  of  ordi- 
nances? Even  that  of  water  baptism  is  as  plainly 
here  expunged  and  superceded,  as  circumcision. 
And  it  is  marvellous  to  me,  that  men  of  sense, 
as  the  author  of  the  forementioned  "  plain  ac- 
count/' &c.  with  divers  others,  should  be  so  veil- 
ed in  their  understandings,  as  to  adduce  this 
passage,  and  several  more  of  somewhat  a  like  im- 
port, in  support  of  water  baptism  ;  when  the  man- 
ner of  the  Apostle's  bringing  it  in,  just  after 
warning  them  against  \he  rudiments  of  the  world, 
pointing  out  the  fulness  of  Christ,  the  inward 
hope  of  glory,  and  declaring  them  complete  in 
himt  and  then  immediately  shewing  how  they  are 
complete  in  him,  without  any  of  those  rudi- 
ments  he  had  just  warned  them  against,  shews 
as  plainly    as  sunshine,    that  their  circumci- 


182  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

sion  and  their  baptism  were  both  in  him,  the 
one  as  much  as  the  other.  So  that  I  desire  the 
candid  reader  to  turn  to  the  passage,  and  read 
for  himself.  And  I  think  he  that  can  find  ^argu- 
ment in  it  for  wetter  baptism,  may  find  as  ?nuch 
for  circumcision  made  with  hands.  But  as  the 
circumcision  here  is  that  made  without  hands,  so 
also  is  the  baptism.  It  is  all  spiritual;  and,  as 
the  Apostle  words  it,  consists  "in  putting  on  the 
body  of  the  sins  of  the  rlesh."  Almost  exactly 
similar  is  what  lie  says,  Rom.  vi.  G,  speaking  ex- 
pressly of  tins  inward  and  spiritual  baptism 
4<  into  Christ,"  and  "  into  his  death/  being  "  bu- 
ried with  him  by  baptism  into  death,"  &c.  The 
words  are,  "  knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is 
crucified  with  him  ;  that  I  he  body  of  sin  might 
be  destroyed,  that  henceforth  we  should  not 
serve  sin."  Here  the  same  Apos'.le  ascribes  the 
same  effect  to  spiritual  baptism  into  Christ,  as  in 
the  passage  just  mentioned,  in  the  epistle  to  the 
Cclossians,  he  ascribes  to  circmncision  spiritually 
in  him,  the  '*  putting  off"  or  "  destroying  the 
body  of  the  sins  of  the  flesh."  It  must  be  a 
wrong  philosophy,  and  vain  deceit  indeed,  that 
can  so  wrest  these  plain  testimonies  of  the  Apos- 
tle, as  to  draw  elementary  water  from  them  for 
baptism. 

If  circumcision  here  is  inward,  so  is  the  bap- 
tism. If  the  baptism  is  outward,  so  is  the  cir- 
cumcision. They  are  so  joined  together,  that 
neither  true  wisdom,  sound  reason,  nor  com- 
mon sense,  can  put  them  asunder,  and  make 
the  one  outward,  and  the  other  inward-  And 
if  the  Apostle  here  excludes  outward  cirewn* 


-      A   GOSPEL  ORDINANCE.  1&3 

cision,  he  equally  excludes  outward  baptism. 
If  he  retains  one,  he  retains  both.  But  he  re- 
tains neither.  He  clearly  rejects  both ;  and  shews 
our  circumcision  and  our  baptism  both  complete 
in  Christ,  without  hands,  without  a  knife,  or  a 
single  drop  of  elementary  water.  He  plainly 
shews  the  believers  not  only  "  buried  with  him 
in  baptism,"  but  in  the  same  baptism  also  "risen 
with  him;"  and  that  expressly  "through  the 
faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  which  is  wholly 
an  internal  thing,  the  very  "  substance  of  things 
hoped  for "  And  having  shewn  what  the 
one  saving  baptism  and  circumcision  is, 
he  then  with  great  pertinency  exhibits  Christ 
"  blotting  out  the  hand-writing  of  ordinances," 
taking  "  it  out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to  his  cross," 
as  of  no  further  use  to  such  as  know  him  in  the 
fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  and  in  the  power  of 
his  resurrection  such  as  experience  h\s  fulness,  and 
are  circumcised,  baptized,  and  complete  in  him. 
For  these  know  his  cross,  and  are  crucified  by  it 
to  the  world,  and  to  the  rudiments,  elements  and 
ordinances  of  it;  and  the  world  also  is  crucified 
unto  them.  There  is  no  friendship  between 
Christ  and  Belial-,  nor  much  between  his  disci- 
ples and  the  world.  His  religion-  does  not  suit 
the  world.  It  is  too  simple,  unpopular,  unpom- 
pous,  and  too  unceremonious;  too  much  a  death 
to  self.  And  I  am  well  satisfied  that  many, 
who  are  and  have  been  livingly  wrought  upou 
by  the  power  of  God,  and  made  to  pant  for  di- 
vine support,  have  yet  striven  hard  to  save  their 
life  in  self,  in  popularity,  and  in  the  friendship 
of  this  ivorld ;  and  from  this  disposition  have 
sliunnedthe  cross;  and  though  they  have  owned 


184  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

Christ,  and  chose  to  be  "  called  by  his  name,  to 
take  away  their  reproach,"  they  have  still  pre- 
ferred to  eat  their  own  bread,  and  wear  their  own 
apparel;  and,  with  Nicodemus,  to  acknowledge 
and  worship  the  blessed  Jesus,  in  the  dark  signs 
and  shadows  of  the  night ;  than  openly  to  era- 
brace  the  contempt  of  the  cross,  and  confess  him 
in  the  inward,  unceremonious  purity,  spiritual- 
ity and  simplicity  of  the  clear  and  genuine  gos- 
pel day.  Dipping  under  water,  and  calling  that 
**  buried  with  him  by  baptism  into  death,"  the 
spirit  of  the  world,  which  still  too  much  liveth 
in  them,  can  more  easily  endure;  nay,  is  some- 
times pleased  and  plumed  with  it.  Far  be  it 
from  me  to  think  this  of  all  who  use  this  sign. 
I  doubt  not,  even  this  is  a  real  cross  to  some; 
but  I  believe  it  is  generally  much  more  tolerable 
to  the  spirit  and  wisdom  of  the  world,  than  the 
pure  simplicity  of  the  gospel;  the  real  death 
and  burial  with  Christ,  in  putting  off  the  body 
of  the  si?is  of  the  flesh,  and  ceasing  from  man, 
and  from  their  own  creaturely  activity  in  religion  ; 
waiting  on  God,  in  absolute  dependence,  in 
nothingness  of  self,  and  the  loss  of  all  things: 
this  is  too  hard  for  the  spirit  of  the  world. 
These  are  hard  sayings  to  it;  who  can  bear  them? 
Hence  many  who  walk  with  him  awhile  in  the 
Spirit,  and  run  well  for  a  season  under  the  cross, 
grow  weary  of  the  sufferings  and  reproaches  of 
Christ,  turn  away  back,  and  walk  no  more  with 
him;  but  get  into  the  "beggarly  elements," and 
sit  at  ease  in  the  friendship  of  the  world,  under 
a  formal  profession  of  religion ;  very  little  con- 
versant with  the  cross,  to  which  they  would 
know  all  these    things  nailed,  if  they  rightly 


A    GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  185 

abode  with  Jesus,  and  followed  him  in  the  re- 
generation. But  as  none  reign  with  him,  but 
those  who  suffer  with  him;  as  none  me  with 
him  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection,  nor  walk 
with  him  in  newness  of  life,  but  those  who  are  reaL 
ly,  not  ceremonially,  planted  with  him  in  the  like- 
ness of  his  death  ;  as  none  sit  with  him  in  the 
throne  of  his  kingdom  and  glory,  but  who  drink 
of  h'xscup,  and  are  baptized  with  his  baptism ;  a 
remnant  of  true  hearted  followers  have  chosen 
to  sutler  affliction  with  him,  and  follow  him 
wherever  he  leadeth,  bearing  his  cross.  These 
know  "  the  hand-writing  of  ordinances  nailed 
to  it."  Their  blotting  out,  and  removal,  is  a 
thing  in  familiar  experience  with  them;  not 
merely  a  matter  of  record  in  the  letter  of  the 
scriptures,  and  thence  gleaned  up,  and  systemati- 
zed into  a  lifeless  creed,  confession  or  profession 
of  faith. 

But  let  us  follow  the  Apostle  a  little  further. 
The  next  verse  shews  Christ  having  "spoiled 
principalities  and  powers,"  openly  triumph- 
ing over  them."  Then  he  enjoins  upon  the 
Colossians,  the  way  being  now  quite  cleared 
for  it  "  let  no  man  therefore  judge  you  in  meat, 
or  in  drink"  (are  not  the  bread  and  wine  here 
included,  as  we  have  seen  circumcision  and  ele- 
mentary baptism  were  a  few  verses  before?)  "  or 
in  respect  of  an  holy  day,  or  of  the  new  moon, 
or  of  the  sabbath  day."  He  goes  very  thorough 
ill  dismission  of  ceremonials,  and  well  he  might; 
for  his  next  words  are,  v.  17,  "which  are  a 
shadow  of  things  to  come;  but  the  body  is  of 
Christ."  Therefore  he  adds,  v.  18,  &c.  "let 
no  man  beguile  you  of  your  reward,  in  a  volun- 


186  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

tary  humility,  and  worshipping  of  angels,  in- 
truding into  those  things  which  he  hath  not  seen  ; 
vainly  puffed  up  by  his  fleshly  mind.  And  not 
holding  the  head,  from  which  all  the  body,  by 
joints  and  bands,  having  nourishment  ministered 
and  knit  together,  increaseth  with  the  increase 
of  God.  Wherefore,  if  ye  be  dead  with  Christ 
from  the  rudiments  of  the  world,  why,  as  though 
living  in  the  world,  are  ye  subject  to  erdi* 
nances?  Touch  not,  taste  not,  handle  not 
which  all  are  to  perish  with  the  using,  after  the 
commandments  and  doctrines  of  men."  He  does 
not  say,  wherefore,  if  ye  be  deaa  and  buried 
with  Christy  by  plunging  into  the  elements  or 
rudiments  in  water  baptism  ;  but,  quite  diffe- 
rently, "  wherefore,  if  ye  be  dead  with  Christ, 
from  the  rudiments?  or,  as  the  marginal  reading 
has  it,  "from  the  elements  of  the  woild,  why, 
as  though  living  in  the  world,  are  ye  subject  to 
ordinances?  This  home  query  should  go  to  the 
heart  of  every  observer  of  these  outward  ordi- 
nances, and  beget  a  close  examination,  whether 
their  observance  thereof,  and  subjection  thereto, 
is  not  rather  following  after  the  traditions  "and 
doctrines  of  men,"  in  their  it?iseasonable  and  un- 
profitable continuance  in  the  abrogated  institu- 
tions and  ordinances  of  former  dispensations — 
the  rudiments  which  ought  to  be  left  behind,  than 
after  Christ,  who  has  triumphed  over  them  all; 
abolished,  and  nailed  them  to  his  cross  ?  And 
when  this  examination  is  rightly  made,  and  the 
Apostle's  prohibitory  injunction,  u  touch  not, 
taste  not,  handle  not,  which  all  are  to  perish 
with  the  using,"  &c.  rightly  complied  with,  I 
believe  the  "  weak  and  beggarly  elements"  must 


A  GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  1S7 

be  rejected  ;  bread,  wine  and  water,  as  ordinan- 
ces of  religion,  renounced,  as  things  "which 
perish  with  the  using;"  and  the  owe  only  and 
saving  baptism  of  the  gospel  retained.  Here 
the  walking  in  newness  of  life,  and  the  answer 
of  a  good  conscience  towards  God,  by  the  re~ 
surrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  will  be  known.  Here 
the  earth  will  enjoy  her  sabbaths  again,  men 
resting  from  their  own  works,  as  God  did  from 
his.  Here  the  morning  stars  will  sing  together, 
the  sons  of  God  will  shout  aloud  for  joy,  and 
the  inhabitants  of  Sion  keep  holy  day  to  the 
Lord. 


188  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


[|  a  recapitulation  or  summary  of  a  number  of  the  prin- 
cipal reasons  against  supposing  the  Christian  commis- 
sion for  baptism,  Mat.  xxviii.  can  mean  water. 

Thus  having  exhibited  to  the  view  of  the 
reader  many  important  passages  of  the  sacred 
records,  with  many  remarks  and  arguments 
thereon,  which  appear  to  me  sufficient  to  satisfy 
the  minds  of  such  as  may,  under  divine  influ- 
ence and  illumination,  carefully  weigh  and  con- 
sider them,  that  the  gospel  is  an  inward,  living 
and  spiritual  dispensation,  void  of  any  mere 
outward,  figurative  and  ceremonial  institutions, 
or  ordinances;  I  think  proper  here,  in  one  view, 
ro  recapitulate  and  present  with  several  of  the 
principal  arguments,  or  reasons,  why  the  great 
gospel  commission,  Mat.  xxviii.  Mark  xvi.  can- 
not be  properly  understood  to  enjoin  water  bap- 
tism. 

I.  Because  every  religious  washing  in  outward 
water,  both  under  John  and  Moses,  was  sym- 
bolical of  inward  purification,  and  pointed  to  it, 
as  effected  "  by  the  washing  of  regeneration, 
and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  John's  min- 
istry, and  water  baptism,  in  particular,  was  for 
Christ's  manifestation  to  Israel.  To  prepare  his 
tvai/y  by  turning  their  minds  to  see  the  necessity, 
and  to  a  desire  and    readiness  for  the  reception 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  l§9 

of,  and  submission  to,  this  his  baptismal  purifi- 
cation ;  and  then  expressly  to  decrease,  as  the 
substance  should  increase.  The  type  to  give 
place  to  the  antitype  :  seeing  signs  and  symbols 
were  ever  intended  to  vanish  out  of  the  way, 
when  the  substance  signified  by  them  was  fully 
come :  they  being  only  as  a  school-master,  to 
lead  unto  Christ;  who  is,  to  every  one  that  be- 
lieveth  in  him,  the  full  end  of  the  law  of  com* 
mandments,  contained  in  ordinances;  because 
they  are  complete  in  him,  without  any  of  those 
representative  observances,  which  only  pointed 
at  him,  but  can  have  no  place  in  him,  nor  in 
his  pure  gospei  dispensation. 

II.  Because  the  Greek  word  en,  the  common 
word  for  in,  might  have  been  used  in  the  com- 
mission, as  on  other  occasions,  where  in  simply 
was  intended,  if  this  baptism  had  been  only  into 
water,  verbally  in  the  Lord's  name.  But  the 
word  eis  being  here  used,  signifying  directly  into, 
and  so  used  in  many  other  passages,  shews  the 
baptism  is  into  the  name,  the  virtue,  life  and 
power  of  God;  into  holiness,  meekness,  purity, 
gentleness,  divine  wisdom,  true  judgment,  and 
whatever  communicable  grace  or  virtue  a  Chris- 
tian receives  by  ingraftment  into  Christ,  when 
*  cut  out  of  the  olive  tree,  which  is  wild  by  na- 
ture; and  grafted,  contrary  to  nature,  into  a 
good  olive  tree,"  as  Rom.  xi.  24.  The  ingraft* 
ment  is  plainly  into  Christ.  The  baptism  is 
several  times  expressly  declared  to  be  into  him. 
Nor  need  we  doubt  but  the  common  word  for 
teach,  to  wit,  didasko,  would  have  been  used  in 
this  commission,  had  it  not  meant  a  converting,. 
R2 


190       *        THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

disciplining,  baptizing  kind  of  teaching,  which 
gathers  souls  into  God,  their  habitation,  refuge, 
and  strong  tower. 

III.  Because  the  Apostles  wTere  not  and  could 
not  be  qualified  to  administer  this  baptism,  till 
they  were  endued  with  power  from  on  high  : 
could  not  impart,  minister  or  communicate  the 
Holy  Ghost,  but  when  and  as  they  were  baptized 
or  filled  with  it  themselves.  Hence  were  they 
commanded  to  tarry  at  Jerusalem,  till  qualified 
by  the  out-pouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  them  ;  and 
thus  to  wait  for  the  promise  of  the  Father,  which 
they  had  heard  of  Christ,  that  "  John  baptized 
with  water,  but  they  should  be  baptized  with  the 
Holy  Ghost"  And  it  is  very  absurd  to  suppose 
Christ,  in  directing  them  how  and  where  to  wait, 
and  what  for,  in  order  to  their  qualification  to 
administer  his  baptism,  would  expressly  point 
their  attention  from  and  beyond  that  of  water,  to 
that  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  had  he  been  then  giving 
them  directions  about  preaching  the  gospel,  and 
baptizing  in  water. 

IV.  Because  in  all  the  after  instances  of  bap- 
tism in  water  (through  condescension)  there  is 
not  one,  wherein  the  form  of  words  in  this  com- 
mission is  made  use  of;  which  it  must  have  been 
in  every  instance,  where  the  commission  was 
duly  observed,  had  it  meant  water,  and  estab- 
lished a  form  of  words  to  be  used  in  its  admini- 
stration. And  how  can  we  suppose  those,  who 
now  use  water,  better  know,  are  more  bound  by, 
or  more  duly  observe  the  commission,  than  the 
disciples?  The  disciples  were  so  far  from  under- 


A   GOSPEL    ORDINANCE.  191 

standing  it  of  water,  that  they  never  once  used 
water,  as  under  it;  never  once  used  the  words 
of  it,  as  a  form  in  any  wise  proper  to  an  outward 
or  mere  figurative  performance.  \nd  does  not 
this  their  total  omission  of  those  words  evince 
that  they  were  of  an  high  and  heavenly  import, 
meaning  nothing  less  than  a  real  baptism  into  the 
divine  nature,  the  very  life  and  substance  of  the 
Godhead,  and  by  no  means  applicable  to  the  mere 
outward  and  visible  sign  of  this  inward  and  spirit- 
ual immersion,  ingraftment  and  purification? 
But  men  now  presume  to  apply  these  expres- 
sions to  a  mere  outward  ceremony,  and  dignify 
immersion  in  water,  a  most  unstable  element, 
with  the  title  of  a  gospel-ord\ nance;  yea,  a  sac- 
rament of  Christ  Jesus. 

V.  Because  when  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  Cor- 
nelius, and  his  houshold,  through  Peter's  speak- 
ing to  them  in  the  life  and  power  of  the  same, 
he  was  immediately  made  to  remember  (doubtless 
by  the  great  and  promised  remembrancer  J  the 
words  of  Christ  respecting  the  baptism  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Thus  clearly  applying  them  to  the 
falling  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on  those  Gentiles, 
through  his  ministry;  that  is,  through  the  words 
spoken  by  him,  whereby  they  should  be  saved,a.s 
foretold  by  the  angel.  And  asorc/*/  the  baptism 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  h  saving;  as  they  did  evident- 
ly receive  this  through  Peter's  ministry ;  as  the 
angel  told  Cornelius,  Peter  should  tell  him  words 
by  which  they  should  be  saved ;  and  as  Peter 
really  understood  the  bap'ism  they  then  received 
(through  those  words  by  him  spoken,  and  by 
which  they  were  to  be  saved  J  to  be  the  one  sav- 


19*2  THE    BAPTISM   OF    CHRIST 

ing  baptism  of  the  gospel,  the  very  same  promis- 
ed by  Christ,  in  the  words  which  were  thereupon 
brought  to  his  remembrance-,  it  is  evident  the 
baptism  of  Christ  is  only  inward.  And  more 
especially,  as  at  this  very  time,  in  regard  to  the 
baptism  of  water,  which  was  Johns  and  was  for 
Christ's  manifestation  to  Israel,  Peter  so  far 
doubted  the  propriety  of  itsadministration  to  the 
Gentiles,  that  he  even  appealed  to  the  judgment 
of  men  about  it  (which  how  would  he  have  dared 
to  have  done,  had  it  been  his  Lord's  command  J 
and  though  none  did  forbid  it,  yet  he  only  com- 
manded them  to  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  (the  Greek  word  here  is  en  J  and  not  into 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  these  words  in  no  wise  suiting 
the  nature  and  design  of  that  outward  adminis- 
tration. 

VI.  Because  Peter  not  only  never  baptized 
any  in  water  afterwards,  that  we  have  any  ac- 
count of,  but  expressly  declares  the  saving  bap- 
tism ;  both  negatively,  what  it  is  not,  to  wit, 
"  putting  away  the  filth  of  the  flesh,"  the  proper 
effect  of  water ;  and  positively,  what  it  is,  and 
by  what  it  is  effected;  it  effects,  in  its  complete 
operation,  such  a  thorough  purification,  as  estab- 
lishes in  the  soul  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience 
towards  God,  and  is  effected  by  that  which  only 
can  do  this,  "the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ," 
the  light,  and/z/e,  and  hope  of  glory  in  us.  And 
it  will  forever  be  in  vain  forany  to  suppose  they 
have  received  Christian  baptism,  unless  they  thus 
know  him  to  be  truly  and  experimentally  "  the 
resurrection  and  the  life"  in  themselves;  for  this 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  193 

alone  can  produce  the  true  sanctification  and 
baptism  of  the  gospel.  A  figure  cannot  save  us. 
All  the  washings  in  water  -Are figures.  And  one 
figure  is  not  the  sign  of  another  figure.  Neither 
any  of  the  divers  Mosaic  washings,  nor  John's 
immersion  (being  all  but  figures)  pointed  to  the 
baptism  of  the  gospel,  as  to  an  outward  figurative 
plunging  in  water ;  but  as  (which  in  truth  it  is) 
to  an  inward  spiritual  washing,  in  the  true  laver 
of  regeneration.  And  I  think  the  old  Mosaic 
typical  laver  might  be  as  properly  continued  un- 
der the  gospel,  as  sprinkling  or  dipping  in  water. 

VII.  Because  Paul,  a  most  eminent  Apostle, 
not  a  whit  behind  the  chiefest,  and  who  receiv- 
ed his  commission  and  his  knowledge  of  Christ 
by  immediate  revelation  (God  revealing  his  son 
in  him)  and  thereby  knew  his  will,  and  the  true 
spiritual  nature  of  his  baptism;  speaking  of  that 
with  water,  declares  positively,  that  "  Christ 
sent  him  not  to  baptize,  but  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel;" and  even  thanks  God  he  had  baptized  no 
more;  which  would  have  been  a  high  presump- 
tion, and  misdemeanour,  had  he  not  known  that 
baptism  in  water  was  no  more  an  ordinance  of 
Christ,  than  circumcision  made  with  hands.  But 
knowing  the  circumcision,  and  baptism  of  the 
new  covenant,  were  altogether  inward,  he  says, 
writing  to  the  Colossians,  "  ye  are  complete  in 
him,  which  is  the  head  of  all  principality  and 
power;  in  whom  also  ye  are  circumcised  with  the 
circumcision  made  without  hands,  in  putting  off 
the  body  of  the  sins  of  the  fleshy  by  the  circum- 
cision of  Christ;  buried  with  him  in  baptism, 
wherein  also  ye  are  risen  with  him,  through  the 


194  THE    BAPTISM   OF    CHRIST 

faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  who  hath  raised 
him  from  the  dead,  chap.  ii.  10,11,12;  thus 
plainly  rejecting  both  outward  circumcision  and 
baptism,  the  one  as  much  as  the  other;  and 
shewing  that  the  inward,  wherein  they  are.com- 
plete  in  Christ,  is  a  real  putting  off  the  body  of 
sin,  a  death  unto  it,  a  real  burial  with  Christ, 
and  rising  with  him ;  which  is  so  far  from  dip- 
ping under  and  rising  out  of  the  water,  that  it 
is  only  by  a  faith  that  is  so  living,  and  so  much 
above  all  that  is  outward,  and  merely  of  man, 
that  it  is  truly  and  powerfully  of  the  very  opera- 
tion of  God  in  the  soul.  Here  is  that  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ,  by  which  the  good  conscience  is 
witnessed  in  Christian  baptism.  And  having 
thus  shewn  believers'*  baptism  to  be  as  entirely 
inward  as  their  circumcision,  he  immediately  and 
very  pertinently  reminds  them  of  Christ's  "  blot- 
ting out  the  hand-writing  of  ordinances,"  and 
taking  "  it  out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to  his  cross  ;" 
cautions  them  to  let  no  man  judge  them  in  re- 
spect to  those  outward  things,  which  are  but  "  a 
shadow  of  things  to  come,"  and  then  roundly 
queries  of  them, i(  wherefore,  if  ye  be  dead  with 
Christ,  from  the  rudiments  or  elements  of  the 
world,  why,  as  though  living  in  the  world,  are 
you  subject  to  ordinances?"  This  shews,  "dead 
with  Christ,"  or  planted  in  the  likeness  of  his 
death,  is  not  a  burial  into  the  rudiments,  or  ele- 
ments, as  in  outward  baptism,  but  "  dead  with 
Christ,  from  the  rudiments  ;"  therefore  he  imme- 
diately enjoins,  "touch  not,  taste  not,  handle 
not,  which  all  are  to  perish  with  the  using,  after 
the  commandments  and  doctrines  of  men."  By 
all  which  we  not  only  perceive  his  full  rejection 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  Wo 

of  all  the  mere  shadowy  ordinances,  but  that  he 
was  so  far  from  esteeming  water  baptism  to  be 
Christ's,  that  he  was  truly  thankful  to  God  that 
he  had  never  used  it,  even  in  condescension,  but 
in  a  very  few  instances ;  and  that  he  considered 
the  real  baptism  into  Christ  to  include  a  death 
with  him,/rom  all  those  rudimentary  or  elemen- 
tary things  which  perish  with  the  using  ;  and 
which,  therefore,  are  not  to  be  touched,  tasted, 
or  even  handled,  as  ordinances,  nor  by  any 
means  subjected  to,  by  those  who  are  dead  to 
them  by  baptism  into  death  with  Christ. 

VIII.  Because  all  those  who  truly  believe ,  and 
in  this  faith  of  the  operation  of  God  are  baptized 
according  to  the  commission,  are  thereby  saved, 
as  promised  by  Christ,  in  giving  the  commission  ; 
which  is  not  true  of  all  who  are  baptized  in  water. 
Simon  the  sorcerer  both  believed  and  was  bap~ 
tized ;  and  yet*  at  the  same  time,  was  so  far  from 
having  any  lot;  part  or  portion  in  gospel  faith  or 
baptism,  that  he  was  in  the  very  '*  gall  of  bitter- 
ness, and  bond  of  iniquity  ;"  which  no  doubt  has 
been  the  case  with  too  many  beside  Simon ; 
whereas  all  who  are  baptized  according  to  the 
commission,  and  therein  witness  the^oor  of  the 
heart  thoroughly  cleansed,  are  baptized  into  Christ 
have  put  him  on,  the  "  whole  armour  of  light," 
and  thus  being  planted  in  the  likeness  of  his 
death,  are  alive  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrec- 
tion, in  true  newness  of  life. 

IX.  Because  we  have  no  account,  nor  the  least 
reason  to  believe,  the  ilrst  Apostles  were  ever 
baptized  in  water*  after  John  baptized  them  ;  for 


196  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

"  Jesus  himself  baptized  not."  And  we  have 
heard  of  none  else  authorized  to  baptize  them 
therein,  but  John  ;  and  so  they  being  outwardly 
baptized  only  into  John's  baptism,  if  Christ's 
was  also  outward,  and  John's  was  not  it,  they 
never  had  it.  And  then  they  would  have  been 
sent  to  baptise  others  with  a  baptism  themselves 
never  received.  But  they  received  freely,  and 
were  freely  lo  give,  and  could  not  give  what  they 
never  received,  nor  what  they  did  receive,  before 
they  had  received  it :  and  therefore  were  under 
an  absolute  necessity  to  wait  till  they  actually 
did  receive  the  baptism  of  the  Eoly  Ghost,  before 
they  possibly  could  baptize  others  with  it.  This 
they  did  receive,  and  this  they  did  administer; 
and  their  not  presuming,  nor  being  allowed  by 
their  Lord,  to  attempt  baptizing  according  to  the 
commission,  till  first  thus  baptized  themselves, 
shows  evidently  what  the  baptism  of  the  com- 
mission was,  and  that  the  qualification  for  its  ad- 
ministration was  through  the  same  baptiem  first 
received  in  themselves,  the  endowment  of  power 
from  on  high.  But  had  the  commission  intend- 
ed Johns  baptism,  that  they  were  qualified  to 
administer,  and  did  administer  before  ;  had  it  in- 
tended water,  and  yet  not  as  Johns,  they  never 
receiving  it  after  the  commission,  any  more  than 
before,  were  no  more  qualified  to  administer  it 
afterwards,  than  before.  Hence  it  results,  that 
Christ's  is  that  they  icaited  for,  received,  and  then, 
through  the  communications  of  it,  administered 
to  others;  that  is,  the  one  baptism  of  the  gospel. 

X.  Because  whoever  receive  Christ's  baptism, 
are  initiated  thereby  into  the  church  of  the  first- 


A   GOSPEL  ORDINANCE.  197 

born,  the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth,  and  have 
their  names  written  in  heaven,  have  the  white 
stone,  and  new  name :  and  being  buried,  and  rz- 
sen  with  Christ,  are  joint  heirs  with  him ;  and 
he  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  brethren,  they  in 
all  things  reverently  ascribing  to  him  the  pre- 
eminence. But  this  is  by  no  means  true  of  all 
that  are  baptized  into  water.  This  is  in  sub- 
stance somewhat  the  same  as  the  8th  reason ; 
but  may  serve  to  shew,  that  as  baptism  in  water 
is  not  saving,  so  it  never  initiates  any  into  the 
church  of  Christ,  however  it  is  extolled  as  an  z*w- 
itiatory  ordinance. 

XI.  Because  Christ  himself,  though  he  was 
circumcised,  baptized,  &c.  outwardly,  in  order 
to  fulfil,  terminate,  blot  out,  and  forever  disannul 
all  such  ceremonials,  never  circumcised  or  bap- 
tized others  outwardly ;  nor  ever  ordered  any  of 
the  multitudes  that  believed  on  him,  that  we 
have  any  account  of,  to  receive  either.  He  even 
washed  his  disci  pies'  feet,  and  taught  them  to 
wash  one  another's;  but  never  baptized  them  in 
water,  which  we  may  venture  to  believe  he 
would  by  no  means  have  omitted,  had  it  been 
his  own  baptism,  the  one  saving  and  perpetual 
baptism  of  all  true  believers. 

XII.  Because  he  did  baptize  them  with  the 
holy  Spirit,  declaring  he  sent  them  even  as  his 
Father  sent  him ;  that  is,  anointed  with  the 
Holy  Ghost,  that  they  should  do  the  works  which 
he  did  (baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  besure,  was 
a  work  which  he  did.)  And  as,  in  order  to 
qualify  them,  he   breathed  on  them,  and  bid 

S 


198  THE    BAPTISM    OF    CHRIST 

them  receive  the  Holy  Ghost,  this  was  truly  send- 
ing them  as  he  was  sent,  and  turning  their  minds, 
and  fixing  their  dependence,  on  the  like  anoint- 
ing, for  qualification  for  the  like  services. 

XIII.  Because  baptism  in  water  is  certainly 
one  of  the  old  things,  one  of  the  things  that  can 
be  shaken  ',  and  not  one  that  remains,  when  and 
where  all  are  shaken  and  removed,  that  can  be 
shaken  ;  not  one  that  can  remain,  when  and  where 
not  only  the  earth,   not  only  sin,  carnality,  and 
earthly  mindedness,   but  also   heaven;    things 
esteemed  heavenly,  and  which  were  once  really 
ordinances  of  God.   are  thoroughly  shaken,  and 
all  removed,  but  what  cannot  be  shaken ;  and 
which  alone  can  remain  in  this  truly  gospel  state. 
The  rejoicing  of  true  Christians  is  in  that  which 
God  creates,  after  the  old  heavens  and  old  earth 
are  shaken,  and  all  typical  righteousness  is  passed 
atoay  ;  that  is,  in  the  pure  antitypical righteous- 
ness which  must  remain,   because  it  cannot  be 
shaken,  but  is  of  the  very  nature  of,  and  pertain- 
cth  to  the  new  heavens,  and  new  earth,  wherein 
dwelleth  righteousness,  in  its  pure,  uncumbered, 
unceremonious   simplicity    and   beauty.      The 
elements  (these  elementary,    figurative  observa- 
tions) are  known,  in  the  truly  gospel  state,   to 
melt  with  fervent  gospel  heat-,   whilst  too  many 
are  retaining  these,  and  expecting  the  outward 
material   elements   to  be  melted  with  outward 
material/re,  at  the  end  of  this  outward  material 
world.     Thus  missing  the  marrow  and  substance 
of  things,  through  the  outwardness  of  their  ideas 
and  expectations. 


A   GOSPEL   ORDINANCE.  199 

XIV.  Because  it  is  certain,  that  it  does  please 
God  to  save  some  through  the  foolishness  of 
preaching,  to  wit,  such  as  truly  believe.  No 
soul  can  be  saved,  but  according  to  God's  mercy 
"  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renew- 
ing of  the  Holy  Ghost."  This  is  Christ's  baptism. 
And  hence  it  follows,  that  every  soul  saved 
through  preaching,  must  thereby  be  baptized 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  fire,  or  witness  the  re- 
generating, washing,  and  renewal  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  For  this  being  that  without  which  none 
can  be  saved,  it  is  idle  to  think  of  preaching, 
saving,  or  contributing  towards  the  salvation  of 
any,  but  through  the  work  of  this  baptism.  If 
preaching  at  any  time  contributes  more  or  less 
to  salvation,  t  certainly  contributes,  in  the  same 
degree,  to  this  spiritual  baptism.  Thus  Paul  be- 
gat  souls  to  God  through  the  gospel.  But  no 
ministry,  that  is  not  baptizing,  can  ever  do  this. 
And  this  is  the  reason  why  they  who  run  with- 
out God's  sen  ding  and  qualification,  do  not  profit 
the  people.  They  cannot  baptize  them  into  the 
name  by  all  their  arts  of  rhetoric,  and  powers  of 
elocution.  That  is  a  work  surpassing  the  ut- 
most influence  of  all  such  unauthorised  minis- 
try, and  effected  instrumentally,  by  no  other 
preaching  than  that  which  has  its  efficacy  from 
the  power  received  from  on  high.  This  even 
the  Apostles  were  under  an  absolute  necessity  to 
wait  for,  and  receive  too,  before  they  could  thus 
teach  baptizing.  And  the  same  necessity  of 
waiting  for  the  same  qualification  will  remain, 
to  all  Christ's  true  ministers,  to  the  world's  end. 
Indeed  the  substance  of  the  injunction,  tarry  at 
Jerusalem  till  you  are  endued,  &c.   rests  now 


200  THE    BAPTISM   OF   CHRIST   &C. 

with  equal  force  on  all  who  are  equally  obser- 
vant of  divine  direction,  in  the  work  of  the  gos- 
pel. And  to  these  Christ's  words  forever  hold 
good,  "he  that  receiveth  you,  receiveth  me; 
and  he  that  receiveth  me,  receiveth  him  that 
sent  me"  Mat.  x,40.  They  who  truly  receive 
Ghr^t,  receive  his  baptism.  Hence  none  truly  re- 
ceive Administers,  and  their  ministry,  but  therein 
and  therethrough  they  receive  him  and  his  bap- 
tism. This  must  hold  good  forever :  they  who 
truly  receive  him,  know  it.  It  would  be  as  true, 
if  it  had  never  been  so  expressed.  Experience 
would  livingly  confirm  it.  But  they  rejoice 
that  this  great  truth  is  so  clearly*  and  by  so 
many  modes  of  expression,  established  in  the 
sacred  records.  And  their  prayers  are  sincerely 
and  fervently  to  God,  that  seeking  souls  may  be 
enabled  to  see,  hear  and  believe  it,  to  the  salva- 
tion of  their  souls,  in  the  saving  operations  of 
the  one  only  soul-saving  baptism  of  Jesus. 


THE   END. 


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